Meaningful Challenges

 

Last week while back in Oregon, I took some time to hike the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, a magnificent area for hiking. It gave me an opportunity to reflect on life and my current ‘station’. Reflecting on and evaluating life in earnest can be a powerful undertaking; an undertaking that too few of us believe we are entitled to because of time concerns, when, in fact, time is not the issue. The real issue seems to be the convenience of maintaining a ‘status quo’ state of mind; this is understandable because the thought of change can be overwhelming and somewhat frightening.

Reflecting and evaluating does open windows for future options; options that have been hidden by the status-quo state of mind and that generate a sense of excitement and encouragement for pursuing new opportunity. Meaningful challenges are realized, challenges that help us to see beyond our existing focuses and that stimulate our creative energies.

In business, reflection is just as important; the opportunity to see beyond existing focuses will bring about the creativity, passion, and direction needed to generate consequential product, services, and customer service. Customers are motivated to buy by genuine enthusiasm and belief in receipt of valuable information. Reflection for business can be a challenge in itself; finding time, again, is perceived to be problematic. Avoiding reflection however, is the easy way out, practicing it is meeting a challenge. Status quo may be easy to maintain, but, in the long run, detrimental to business growth.

Organizations, particularly small businesses, should encourage reflection practices for all associates. One simple way to begin this process is through frequent ‘group’ communication where all participants are treated as equals, and comments and ideas are always initially treated as valued. Such communication, if practiced on a regularly scheduled basis, can lead to automatic self-imposed personal reflection which helps to develop stronger, more focused, and more creative employees; employees who help to generate growth through passion.

Impact has begun such a program, and I am encouraged by the apparent enthusiasm being expressed. Ideas for new product, improvements to existing product, and most important, suggestions for reaching more customers with ‘valued’ information about design, material, material combinations, and construction options are being discussed and acted upon.

Impact Enterprises, Inc.

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Impact Enterprises, Inc.