Monkey See, Monkey Do
Unfortunately, when we panic we miss opportunities, even the ones right before our eyes or in our own backyards.
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2008-04-04
PrintHuh? Why would you do that? Well, I’m talking about smart behavior during a shaky economy. Am I harping on this too much? Maybe. But the worst thing you can do is look the other way and pretend you might not be affected by what’s going on from the prices at the gas tank to the slow-down in retail. This is especially true if you’re of a certain age (let’s say you’re over 40) and you’ve been focused on one particular area for a long time.
What I’m trying to say here is that I don’t think anyone really, 40 or not, is immune from a sagging economy. It’s one thing to act as if things will get better without doing anything about it. It’s quite another, however, to be smart, which means not going out to eat as much, updating your resume, being flexible in terms of the kind of work you could do.
We all have bills to pay and, if you’re lucky to have a job right now, probably a lot of work to do. But even as you’re working it’s critical to be ready to jump if necessary. Sometimes that means networking in unconventional ways. I read recently about a man who visits a suburban Starbucks in Illinois not far from his home not because he wants to become a barista but because its where his accountant networking group meets up. The original networking event occurred somewhere else, but the accountants involved figured out who among them would be helpful to each other, met offline and have been trading leads ever since. So they started in one way, went another route and its working. You never really know where something will lead even if you take a wrong turn.
In addition to ignoring economic warning signs another bad move is to panic. Now, I’m a great one to panic in the biggest way. I can catastrophize with the best of them, but in the end it is my ability to be calm and think clearly that helps me get through the rough patches in life. (Of course my family might disagree, but none of them have my allbusiness blog password . . . )
Unfortunately, when we panic we miss opportunities, even the ones right before our eyes or in our own backyards. And just because we have a tightening economy doesn’t mean that opportunities aren’t available. But if you’re not in a state of mind to be receptive to those opportunities, then you will be unlikely to seize upon them. So be on the lookout, even when you’ve been asked to limit your visits to the supply room or have been asked to decrease your travel budget, for ways that you can still get ahead. Just because there’s budget squeezing in the air doesn’t mean that you have to retreat completely. Being cautious and moving ahead are not mutually exclusive.
What I’m trying to say here is that I don’t think anyone really, 40 or not, is immune from a sagging economy. It’s one thing to act as if things will get better without doing anything about it. It’s quite another, however, to be smart, which means not going out to eat as much, updating your resume, being flexible in terms of the kind of work you could do.
We all have bills to pay and, if you’re lucky to have a job right now, probably a lot of work to do. But even as you’re working it’s critical to be ready to jump if necessary. Sometimes that means networking in unconventional ways. I read recently about a man who visits a suburban Starbucks in Illinois not far from his home not because he wants to become a barista but because its where his accountant networking group meets up. The original networking event occurred somewhere else, but the accountants involved figured out who among them would be helpful to each other, met offline and have been trading leads ever since. So they started in one way, went another route and its working. You never really know where something will lead even if you take a wrong turn.
In addition to ignoring economic warning signs another bad move is to panic. Now, I’m a great one to panic in the biggest way. I can catastrophize with the best of them, but in the end it is my ability to be calm and think clearly that helps me get through the rough patches in life. (Of course my family might disagree, but none of them have my allbusiness blog password . . . )
Unfortunately, when we panic we miss opportunities, even the ones right before our eyes or in our own backyards. And just because we have a tightening economy doesn’t mean that opportunities aren’t available. But if you’re not in a state of mind to be receptive to those opportunities, then you will be unlikely to seize upon them. So be on the lookout, even when you’ve been asked to limit your visits to the supply room or have been asked to decrease your travel budget, for ways that you can still get ahead. Just because there’s budget squeezing in the air doesn’t mean that you have to retreat completely. Being cautious and moving ahead are not mutually exclusive.
