Embrace the Ebb and Flow in the Commercial World, and Seek Continuity Elsewhere  

My grandmother used to say, “You can’t put an old head on young shoulders.” And boy, was she onto something with that nugget.

There is something about having nearly twenty years of professional experience that no college textbook could ever replace. Beyond the day-to-day, nuts-and-bolts experience of actually practicing my craft (communications), my career has been character-building – and at times, tumultuous – but I wouldn’t trade it for a thing.

One of the key things I’ve learned is that the modern business landscape is awash in change. “Change is a constant,” we hear, time and again. Ah, but it is true! If there is one thing you can count on in most workplaces, it is that things will likely look different one year from now. So, let’s all just settle in with that idea and move forward.

Just take a look at the business headlines, and what do you see? Mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, startups and shutdowns. And businesses are not just doing these things for sport. They are doing what they must to serve customers, remain competitive, and return profits to their shareholders. Read: these changes will never end.

So, what are we, the dwellers of office parks, corporate towers, and home offices everywhere, to do? Don’t be a victim! Embrace the ambiguity at work! Make it a core competency, even. Something that differentiates you from the pack. And seek continuity elsewhere in your life.

Sure, this comes more naturally for some of us than others. But just like any other skill, agility can be developed and honed over time. Here are a few tips for becoming agile in today’s changing landscape:

Live in the Present
If you are fully focused on what is happening today, then you won’t have time to worry about what may happen tomorrow. Leave the forecasting to meteorologists and the predictions to the Farmer’s Almanac, and live like there is no tomorrow. Be present and be your very best, at work and elsewhere. Be your best today.

“Keep your Knees Bent”
I heard this phrase recently, and it really hit home for me. It reminds me of playing tennis – that pose you assume when waiting for a serve. You have to be light on your feet, ready to switch hands, or move quickly in either direction. Be ready for anything, but don’t be paranoid, for heaven’s sake! Life is too short.

Find your True North
If we are lucky in this life, we find our true calling. Ideally, this is a profession that sits at the intersection of what we love, what we are good at, and what is most personally meaningful. We spend too much time at work to not be fully invested in what we’re doing.

But we must not orient ourselves solely around our work, because generally, our workplaces are much bigger than ourselves. They are affected by the global economy, industry trends, regulatory changes, the political landscape…and the list goes on. So, your true north must be whatever you treasure.

To get an idea of what that is: sit still for a minute. Close your eyes and picture your happiest day in the past year. What or who was there? Look inward to find what is core to your happiness, and then hang your hopes and dreams on that.

And once you become more comfortable with embracing change, work on making it core to who you are.  Become the very best at it. This skill will serve you well at every stage of your career, and in your life outside work as well. I did some interviewing this year, and I can assure you that prospective employers are not looking for someone who is change-averse or seeking consistency in the workplace. Rather, they are looking for people who will drive and lead change, and ideally, who will bring others along with them. This is what progress looks like, on the individual and organizational level.

Oh, and a sense of humor helps as well. My wise grandmother also used to say, “If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.” Truer words were never spoken….so cultivate that sense of humor when the world begins to swirl around you. Even if it’s gallows humor – I can assure you, it will serve you well.