Josh Mullins
Aug 17, 2024
In the ever-evolving landscape of business, we often find ourselves at a crossroads, asking: Are we acting out of desperation or decisiveness? As business owners, executives, managers, or employees in Oklahoma, we understand the importance of community and resilience. We constantly participate in the juggling act of having enough people and resources to do the work versus having the right people and resources.
This dynamic shifts as our businesses grow, as people seek balance, and as we plan for the future. We frequently weigh the risks of our choices, driven by a need for immediate results with long-term positive implications. We want to be confident the people we invest in will reinvest back into the business or the goals we share.
Understanding the personalities and capabilities of our teams helps us make more decisive decisions, fostering positive growth. In Oklahoma, where community values run deep, engaging in conversations, listening to what motivates people and what they value as a group enables us to take decisive actions that build up our team.
Without understanding who we are and what we value as a collective, it becomes challenging to identify people who meet both our needs and wants. Investing time in challenging, respectful, and emotional conversations with the people who help define us is essential to truly understand our identity.
As the labor market remains tight, and people look for places to belong, be respected, seize opportunities, and maintain a life outside of work, we must pause and decide if their methods align with our existing environment and team. When personal connections and mutual support are paramount, the better we know ourselves collectively, the more we can move from desperate decision-making to the decisiveness we prefer.
Solomon’s proverb, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun,” reminds us that we are not facing unprecedented problems. The challenge lies in investing the time to answer questions about our identity, values, and goals to find people seeking similar things, adding what we need rather than desperately plugging a hole.
Taking the time to truly understand the dynamics and values of our team can lead to more confident, informed decisions. This means not only focusing on the skills and qualifications of potential hires but also considering how their personal values and goals align with our organizational culture. By fostering an environment where open, honest, and respectful communication is encouraged, we can build stronger, more cohesive teams that reflect the organization we want to be and have decided to be.
In conclusion, by understanding our team’s personality and values, and engaging in meaningful conversations, we can shift from desperation to decisiveness. This not only strengthens our business but also ensures we build a team that aligns with our long-term goals. By investing in the right people, we create a foundation for sustainable growth and success, embodying the resilient and community-focused spirit of Oklahoma.