On July 4th, ’90s rapper Vanilla Ice was scheduled to play a concert in Austin, Texas. Billed as being a “carefree return to the pre-coronavirus ’90s”, he was promoting the show as late as July 2nd, before quickly reversing course just four hours later, saying “I listened to my fans… I didn’t know the numbers were so crazy.”
If you live in the United States, you may have felt that – Vanilla Ice aside – July 4th had a decidedly different feel this year. Between COVID-19 and the elevated focus on racial injustice, this Independence Day brought a mix of emotions. I heard from many a renewed desire to move towards the promise of America rather than celebrate the current reality of it. A growing proportion of people are not comfortable going back to “how things were”, and are calling for something new.
Perhaps we can learn something by putting into action Vanilla Ice’s most (or only?) famous lyric, “Stop, collaborate, and listen…”
This Week’s Tip:
STOP – The COVID-19 epidemic changed our work world – possibly forever. Doing things how you’ve always done them will not lead to the same results. Stop, take a step back, and review your practices.
COLLABORATE – Work with others, both within your organization and elsewhere. We all need each other, more than ever, and we all have skills and insight to offer those around us.
LISTEN – Seek out those with different viewpoints and life experiences. Find narratives that don’t match your own, through books, movies, podcasts, and more…
Try putting these famous lyrics into action this week. Share your experience on our Facebook group! And then join our upcoming webinars to learn other practical ways you can make change in your own workplace.
Building Bridges Leadership 