The End of the World?

Do you remember the panic, whipped up by fear-mongers, fire and brimstone preachers during 1999? The mantra and the message was that the coming of the millennium spelled doom for the human race. If not physical then surely economic. All of them had supporting evidence from the book of Revelation to Nostradamus. 

Today we are in the last year of the first DECADE of this new millennium.

The media continues to makes sure we have no reprise from fear or worry.

How are they preparing us for the second decade of the new millennium? Global Warming. That’s a really big one. I’m worried about my lights staying on and having enough baby formula and now I’ve got to worry that Aspen will be a beach town in about 20,000 years.

Hollywood’s already seized impending doom with the end of the Mayan calendar in 2012. I know the accuracy of the calendar is legendary. But lets get real - these people never saw a wheel until the Conquistadors arrived.

So what can you do to maintain your sanity...

... and enthusiasm and dedication during those staff and committee meetings?

Close your eyes and mentally look around the conference table. There’s your Chairman, the County Manager, your corporate attorney, your department heads, individual board members and a few guests. The meeting opens and you can feel the panic.

The first words from one of your fear-mongers who loves his position and can speak with the passion of an evangelist in a tent meeting reminds you occupancy is falling, ADR, is down, and tax revenues are off. Once the first guy is done four others pile on.

When the blood bath is over there are 5 giant files of fear, anger, and frustration laying on the table right in front of you. What do you do?

Put on your HAZ-MAT Suit.

DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING. THEY ARE TOXIC.

These good folks have spent an hour desperately trying to give you their fear and frustration. The first step is to see what’s going on, it’s their fear, and frustration, not yours.

Listen to their pain. Turn up your regulator. Put your hands in your pocket, leave it right where they dumped it. If you pick up any of it you will never know peace or be clear enough on where to start attacking your challenges until business is running record gains.

By then you’ll be worrying about the next slide. If you still have the job.