Hot Topic Friday: Sept. 25

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Happy Friday! Here are our Sept. 25 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership.

Announcement!: Building Extraordinary and Adaptive Cultures Course Available Now!

Hot Topic 1: Mush! Sled Dogs, Resilience and Adaptability.

Source: New York Times, Braverman.

What It’s About: I really enjoyed this article about how an Alaskan dog sled racer has learned so much from his dogs, relative to adaptation and resilience. As Blair Braverman states: “Working with them in the wilderness means negotiating countless shifting variables. Sounds a lot like the world we’re living in.”

So What?: We are all working on adaptability and resilience in this very stressful, turbulent world. Mental overload is putting downward pressure on our critical thinking, and this requires us to intentionally pause, recalibrate, and prepare for a longer run than we might have first anticipated. We can learn from these wonderful dogs, who are built to run long distances. Braverman outlines what is required to get the very best from his canines: “What this means for people, for us, is that we can’t just plan to take care of ourselves later. We shouldn’t expect to catch up on sleep when we really crash, or to reach out to loved ones after we’re struck by loneliness. We should ask for support before we need it. We should support others before they ask. Because if you don’t know how far you’re going, you need to act like you’re going forever… Planning for forever is essentially impossible, which can actually be freeing: It brings you back into the present. How long will this pandemic last? Right now, that’s irrelevant; what matters is eating a nourishing meal, telling someone you love them, walking your dog, getting enough sleep. What matters is that, to the degree you can, you make your own life sustainable every day.”

Now What?: Focus on what matters. Rest enough each day. Nourish well consistently. Ask for what you need, and offer what you can. Love more. Prepare for a long run. Because “if you don’t know how far you’re going, you need to act like you’re going forever!”

One Millennial Response: In this case, we all have an opportunity to tackle a marathon one mile at a time. I’m sure everyone’s sick of the speculation about how long this world’s situation will last, so focusing on what we have control over is truly freeing. If you accomplish an enjoyable mile one, you can be rejuvenated for mile two, and so on.

Hot Topic 2: Practical Resilience Tips for ALL.

Source: NYT, Tara Parker-Pope.

What It’s About:  During this week’s kick off session of Wine Wednesdays, we had a great convo with one of the most highly regarded business execs in Canada, former ATB CEO, Dave Mowat. His closing advice as we navigate a situation that seems to want to play long ball, is to be more intentional in taking care of ourselves, especially the little things. We can’t help others like we might want to, if we haven’t looked after ourselves first. This builds on the theme in the first Hot Topic. I dusted off an older NYT article that is on target right NOW. 

So What?: We mostly know what’s better for us. However, it is very human to struggle crossing the bridge from knowing to acting. So what if we changed our behaviors in important ways? Rather than wanting and admiring resilience, doing these things actually results in it.

Now What?:

- Practice Optimism.

- Rewrite Your Story.

- Don’t Personalize it.

- Remember Your Comebacks.

- Support Others.

- Take Stress Breaks.

- Go Out of Your Comfort Zone. (Most of us don’t need much more on this one, haha).

Obviously there is both a narrative and research attached to each of the above. Read the article. 

One Millennial Response: Oh what? There’s no magical pill that helps us cross the bridge from knowing to acting? I think we’re aware of that, but we need to decide to find that vitamin-R for Resilience in our own ways. It’s not easy, but how else are you going to mush on like the dogs above?

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And finally! Here’s Cecil’s Bleat of the Week!

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"I have found people don't want to be told. That they can figure it out." - Bob Woodward. 

Bye for now!

— Lorne and Garrett Rubis

Incase you Missed It:

My latest Lead In podcast.  

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Season 3 of Culture Cast. 

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