Building Your Future or Predicting It
Organizations face commitments to the future. Do employees face decisions for the same kind of commitment? Are you building your future or predicting it?
I often hear stories from people reminiscing. Stories that if they only would have known then what they know now. It is true for their investments and often for major life decisions. It might be different if they had that crystal ball.
Decisions we make are important. They help to shape our future. So do our actions and behaviors.
Predicting What’s Next
Many people confuse making a decision with predicting the future. Certainly, some things will just happen but far more important than predictions might be what you will do or how you will handle what happens next.
If you are an employee within an organization, you should have a commitment to help build it. The problem that most people see is that within the organization they don’t make the decisions for their future so they try to predict what will happen next.
In many ways, this seems like a truism. However, their individual contributions will somehow make a difference for the outcomes. So perhaps the outcomes are not so much of a prediction but more about how each individual helps to co-create.
Granted the contributions of just one individual seem minuscule when compared with an entire operation. However, we shouldn’t forget the story of what can happen with just one bad apple.
Building Your Future
If everyone on the team is needed then the contribution of every individual must matter. It isn’t necessarily about predicting the future. It might be about creating it.
If your contribution doesn’t matter or doesn’t make a difference then the prediction should be clear.
If it does, there shouldn’t be as much prediction necessary. You’re co-creating.
Reputations, brands, and entire organizations don’t just happen. They are built.
Sometimes it might be better to focus on building and stop trying to predict.
Predictions are for meteorologists.
– DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a four-time author and some of his work includes, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce and Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours! Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
