“The
truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are
feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy or unfulfilled. For it is only in
such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step
out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer
answers.” —
Our
finest moments? Well, they are not to be confused with one shining
moment at the end of March Madness! But, as we find our attentions
focused on conversations with business friends, be ready to encounter
the moments with another when you hear the search for truer answers.
But,
what about truer answers for professionals confronting the continuing
unsettled economy? Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve, appeared on "60 Minutes" to take his case to the
public, bluntly informing his audience that although he is long-term
bullish on the economic leadership and entrepreneurial vitality of the
American economy in the next decade, high unemployment, troubling
deficits and financial uncertainty for small businesses will be on our
national plate for the next four to five years. No politician – and
Bernanke is not one – would ever take to the airways for such frank
commentary on troubling economic times.
Agreeing or disagreeing
with the Federal Reserve chairman’s assessment is not the point of my
remarks. What is? I have spent a good bit of time in 2010 listening to
conversations by professionals in small business, education and
nonprofits. I’ve heard two distinct conversations:
The Rapids and
The Currents.
The Rapids focuses on the unknown. Typically, this conversation is
characterized as: Keep your oar in the water to maneuver through the
next scary moment. I met such a moment in April when I learned that a
heretofore trusted investment adviser for Passkeys Foundation had
committed fraud with foundation assets. For three months I felt myself
nearly capsizing in The Rapids as I tried to keep my oar in the water.
The
Currents conversation is distinctly different. It is the conversation
of reasoned hopefulness. It is the marshalling of the inner core of
personal beliefs, wed to intention and action, that point us in the
direction of steady movement. I am not describing The Currents
conversation as bravado in the face of disaster. Rather it is the
silent, quiet certainty that says:
Moving forward is what I do; it is what is true.
It is always the fresh answer. So, too, I have experienced The Currents
conversation in the last three months as The Rapids of the foundation’s
financial losses have given way to the Currents of my recovering the
tangible assets of renewed ideas, clarity and commitment.
Mission Integrity Action
The Currents? They are
our shining moments.
They take us from trouble into truth. Be attentive to The Rapids and
Currents conversations with co-workers, business associates and clients.
If you hear someone in The Rapids, simply listen. If you hear someone
in The Currents, thank them for their encouraging clarity.
