Not another "moment" please!
Yetunde Hofmann MBA ChCCIPD FRSA
Independent Non-Executive Director @ Cranswick | RemCo Chair| Founder @Solaris | Keynote Speaker| Inclusion and Love-Based Leadership Advocate
I cannot imagine that any one of us stood at the beginning of 2020 and said “yup! This is a year that I’m going to lose my job, I’m going to challenge my personal integrity and that of my friends, family and colleagues; I’m going to march in frustration and anger at the murder of an innocent human being because of the colour of his skin; I’m going to switch on my phone or my TV and see nations across the world rise to their feet to march alongside me, tears streaming down eyes; oh and by the way, I’m also going to spend all my time on the computer, locked up in my home, unable to hug my family and friends and conduct all of my business at an imposed distance ....”
On one side of the fence, through these times, some have triumphed, profits soaring, jobs being created, expansion plans emerging and investors laughing all the way to the bank. You know who you are.
On the other side of the fence still through these times, others have lost, profits plummeting, restructuring plans resurfacing, investors hanging their heads and employees gearing themselves up for the difficult conversations about their livelihoods. This is because there are always winners and losers in every situation. Life can be so unequal.
The one glimmer of hope, the light that could shine is the unity and the coming together of communities, neighbourhoods and people all around the world locally and globally. That proof that through adversity and despair can at times emerge some good. A demonstration that in spite of how selfish, dehumanising and materialistic our world can be, there lies still within us as human beings, a care and a compassion that if nurtured can grow.
The lesson being learned is that what matters is you and me – our humanity, our society and the value of community.
As the world starts to take tentative steps towards what is being termed the “new normal” my one small fear is the risk of the return of the short-term memory amid the melee of activity and busyness that returns to our day to day lives. Because with this return comes the possibility of forgetting and losing the good that has come out of the sadness and the tragedy of events this year and that the death of one innocent man and the deprivation of our freedom will have been in vain. The risk that all we have experienced in 2020 becomes a moment. The risk that it becomes a moment of history as opposed to a significant learning experience that shapes our outlook and perspective in life in such a way that creates lasting positive change.
We can however choose to say a big no to that. We can instead choose to move forward in another more definitive and meaningful way. We can choose instead, to move forward with courage; with a willingness and a decidedness to act, think, work, and walk from a place of Love.
We can choose to move forward with Love at the centre of all that we do and choose to be, taking one step at a time – in our work places, our communities, in the way we do government, show up as neighbours, friends and in the way we treat our own selves.
If we choose to do this, then maybe, just maybe, the risk of 2020 becoming a moment will be averted and we can walk toward having our world be the kind of place our children and their children would love to live in.
* Advisor * Speaker * Writer * Speak Up, Ethics, Values, Communications, Wellbeing and Kindness
4yThank you Yetunde, I needed to read that today. Thank you for the inspiration.
Certified Business Strategist | Chief Operating Officer at Nuvem9
5yWonderfully said - thank you for this. Its so important how we educate, how we behave, how we connect with others. Beautiful reminder and inspiration to open the conversation in all areas of our lives to make a pathway for true connections, soul to soul x
Executive Coach | SKM3 QiGong Therapy |PSYCH-K® Facilitator | I journey with people to discover their true self, purpose, and mission in life by connecting to the core of who they are.
5yHi Yetunde Hofmann Chartered FCIPD, I so love your article. For reminding us all not to forget.. which is so easy to do once we get back to “normal”. Our cages have been rattled. And once the dust settle, we need to direct the energy towards creating change that harmonizes the world in a nurturing, wellness way. And your point of coming from the place of love is so powerful. So simple and yet probably most difficult too. We need to break down walls vs erecting more. For me.. your article has me asking myself .. - what walls am I willing to bring down in order to create a world that’s more inclusive and in harmony? What conversations do I need to stop having? Better still – what new conversations do I need to create and us collectively as a community in order to bring about the changes we want.. not just for ourselves but for each individual living on this same planet as us? What world do we want to build in order to bring about sustainability? As a coach, we are constantly asking ourselves – what world are we inviting our clients into? It’s a great question to ask ourselves? What new world am I willing to step into that will bring about sustainability and harmony to myself, my family, my community, my organization, my country and my world? Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and articles, Yetunde. Today.. I intend to take that one small baby step.. from the place of love.. I will now seek out forgiveness and compassion. And that means letting go of my righteousness in some of my relationships, my thoughts, my opinions, and seek to be impressed by others especially those who’s thoughts, religions, culture through real conversations and dialogues.
Managing Partner at Board Excellence
5yHi Yetunde Hofmann Chartered FCIPD, sincere thanks for a wonderful, inspiring and prescient article. In working with board teams week to week, I see first hand the very natural tendency for everyone to be in a comfort-zone to go back to "normal" as if everything settling back down will remove the imperative for us all individually and collectively to stand up and be counted in addressing the very serious challenges facing us in all countries from racial in-equality to climate change and to companies "doing the right thing" balancing all the needs of employees, stakeholders and shareholders. I am hoping that in the midst of all all of the devastating impact of the Covid-19 crisis, some genuine good will come out of it in terms of society establishing a new paradigm of behaviours, respect and "doing the right thing" at all levels. On a bright note, I have been encouraged by the number of company boards who in the midst of serious change to their business model have genuinely embraced Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) in a way prior to Covid-19, I didn't think possible. Boards of directors have a fundamental responsibility to show leadership in its broadest sense and move away from the broken financial models that are no longer fit for purpose to a progressive balanced model across shareholders, employees, stakeholders and society.
Business Development Manager at Criticaleye
5yCould not agree more Yetunde. As someone far better than me once said.....the moral arc is long. Lets hope 2020 shortened it a little bit!