Regulation changes, budget cuts, re-orgs (again), turnover.
Ever feel like the world is happening to you instead of the other way around? Flat tire, contractor ghosting you, kid gets sick on the most important day of your career, coffee spills right down the front of you. Life is messy (the kind of messy where you spill a whole bag of flour and your broom suddenly goes missing).
But here’s the thing—we have a unique opportunity, almost every day, to choose how we react, make a difference, create results, and shape our surroundings. That’s why my tagline is, "You happen to the world, not the other way around."
Coming from someone who’s weathered small and large disasters (hello, house fire and flooded Airbnb), I know what it’s like to reset and rebuild. The same holds true for work.
As leaders, it’s not just about adopting this mindset ourselves, but inviting our teams to do the same. If a metric isn’t where it should be, I ask: What do we want this to look like? How do we make it happen? It’s not just about answers; it’s about buy-in, ideas, and collaboration.
But when we let things happen to us instead of making a plan, the ripple effects can be damaging—metrics slip, team dynamics become toxic, and recruitment and retention suffer. We all know those people who just go along for the ride, and once complacency sets in, it’s tough to turn the ship around.
If you’re facing challenges—budget cuts, re-orgs, or inherited teams that don’t mesh—try flipping the script. Instead of letting your team happen to you, ask how you can happen to them. Invite them into this mindset, listen more, gather input, and watch as they start contributing in new and unique ways.
There’s a wealth of ideas and perspectives waiting to be tapped into. You happen to the world, not the other way around.
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