Tough Times

And, rumour has it, times are only going to get tougher for a while. The first world-wide recession. It boggles the mind. It disturbs me deeply.

Never before has it been so evident how interconnected we all are - from our economies to our food sources and down to the very personal level of friends and neighbours facing difficult choices and situations.

Suddenly my personal community - my network of colleagues, peers and friends - doesn’t seem wide enough or deep enough. We will all need to offer and receive some form of support in the coming year: encouragement to still take some measured risk; endorsement of our skills and abilities; comfort for our struggles; and reassurance that the community is still actively coaching, networking and expanding.

There will be a number of folks out there adrift. Folks who, until a crisis hits, don’t have a community behind them and didn’t previously seek to build one. For some, building a personal community through networking and mentoring will be a revelation that will carry them forward for the remainder of their careers. For others, it will be a scramble for any kind of life raft, to be left behind when safety is reached.

It costs us only our time to have a coffee with someone and see if there’s a connection. We don’t have to personally save everyone; we will only need to reach out to those around us with willingness.