What We Can Do To Make Sure That Never Going Back to the Way Things Were Is a Good Thing

In our current situation, there are a few types of social media users emerging:

• Those who won’t share anything even mildly controversial or divisive
• Those who are watching the media all day long and sharing whatever supports their existing view
• Those who are instigating debate because they are genuinely interested in learning
• Those who are instigating debate because they love dropping the mic

I expect that as the November election draws closer and this crisis continues, this will only get more obvious.

Notice whose posts you’re most likely to click “read more”, read through the comments, or comment yourself.

It doesn’t seem to matter, actually, what kind of poster you are, you’re getting it, too! You’re getting people debating, sometimes all-out fighting and name-calling, even if you intended to post something neutral or innocent.

It seems like right now, you can’t ask for advice or call out people for following or not following the rules without creating conflict.

These are really tough times. How do you navigate social media when you are trying to stay connected in one of the few ways you can, but don’t want to feel more disconnected from people by learning how differently you actually think about the past, current, and future states of this situation?

Last week I called for everyone to give themselves and each other grace because we are all grieving to some degree, and we’ll move in and out of the phases of grief.

We are all craving some normalcy! Some of us are looking for that silver lining, so we’re sharing how self-isolation is helping the environment, and how people are using their idle time to serve others – make masks, drop off groceries and show our people on the front lines how much they are appreciated.

We feel relief from the power of the human spirit, starkly contrasting the rampant cynicism of the human spirit. We feel relief from those who want to place blame, hold people accountable and point out how wrong we got it, all the way to believing that the deep state is up to severely depraved antics.

They are both undeniable parts of our world, and they both serve a greater purpose.

Mental illness was already an epidemic, with the Gen Z generation suffering the highest rates. Ironically, they are also the generation who, so far, had enjoyed one of the best economies, though many saw their parents struggle in the last recession. The generation who should be the most connected is feeling the most misunderstood, anxious, and depressed.

It wasn’t all peaches and cream before this happened! The economy may have been booming, but there were real problems suffered by swaths of the population – underemployment, living paycheck to paycheck, bank-breaking healthcare costs, homelessness, mass shootings, etc.

And here we are with much less distraction, time to devise solutions (if we can keep our state of mind clear and calm), and time to consume updated information on new subjects.

One of the keys to mental wellness you probably have heard me tout before is to balance consumption with creation. I don’t mean just social media posts. I mean – whitepapers, e-books, manifestos, novels, songs, poems, cartoons, but more importantly, SOLUTIONS!

While I’ve been crafting a course in corporate conscious leadership, I have wanted to put a spotlight on companies who are strong case studies for conscious leadership practices (which I’ve done, finally – do send me stories to include!). I’ve also been tempted to shame and punish companies who are making unconscious leadership decisions, and sometimes they are one and the same!

Shaming and punishing leaders who have made unconscious leadership decisions feels right (altruistic punishment) AND it has worked, e.g. Chick Fil A stopped funding camps that the ban/bash the LGBTQ community. I’ve certainly put a spotlight on some consequences corporate leaders have suffered because of unconscious leadership.

After all, a company is comprised of many, many different people who won’t all think or act alike, even if they were hired because of their alignment with company values and culture.

People change all the time. They do! They can suffer from situational greed after enjoying some notoriety and start making decisions for glory rather than for good. They can also decide that the success they’ve enjoyed was hollow and commit the rest of their career to make a positive difference.

The thing is, it’s not Joe Shmoe on the internet that is converting an unconscious leader into a conscious leader. It’s that leader’s inner circle and the authorities that he or she must answer to that often convert this leader. It’s being able to see how decisions ultimately impact people that he or she empathize with. So, you’d have to be someone who could elicit empathy, not someone who attacks, shames, or insults them.

That said, how can we/you make sure that we create a silver lining and use this disruption of our daily lives to make this change the start of something beautiful?

Create solutions and share what is working.

That sounds so simple, right? No. Unfortunately. We are more judgmental than ever and we are also more fragile than ever.

So, it really takes courage to:

1. Find something worthy of sharing
2. Share it for the world to judge
3. Stand up for the future that you want against those resisting change while also staying conscious that others may have a better way

I get it!

So many of the problems our society previously faced didn’t impact our lives directly or daily. And what power or time did we have to change it anyway?

Well, for those furloughed, laid-off, or on extended leave who are healthy, time has now been gifted to you. Power comes from influence and that is absolutely a skill that you can learn now!

The course I mentioned on conscious leadership has major modules on successfully soliciting sponsorship for change initiatives of all sizes, big and small, how-tos and when-tos on presenting change initiatives to the powers that be (even highly resistant powers that be,) and how to manifest empathy that inspires open-mindedness and cooperation.

Remember that problem of keeping your mind clear and calm so that you can solve problems better? It has strategies for that, too.

We can make sure that we don’t just simply go back to the broken ways that were. As MLK said, “People who love peace need to be as organized as those who love war.”

I really don’t think there is a lack of solutions – by far! The issue is that even while we are at home not raising our voices in mass, the noise in this world is getting continually louder! A few people are managing to squeak by, go viral, reach the very top, and influence change, but is that change moving us toward a better world?

We need conscious leaders everywhere – at every level of leadership, in all industries, governments, and institutions. We need problem developers AND we need successful people who are willing to leverage their past corporate success to elevate these solutions when they’re shown how.

Unconscious decisions are being made every day that DO impact you and your daily life. This whole situation is Exhibit A.

Some will be content to go back to ignoring most of the world’s, the country’s, their company’s problems, but some will never be able to unsee what they now, in this stillness, can see quite clearly, and they won’t be able to go back to life as they knew it.

They won’t be able to look at their kids and reassure them that everything will be okay.

They won’t be able to stay quiet, but they also probably won’t be able to effectively influence positive change, either, by playing keyboard hero on their own social media page or by debating with strangers online.

But they CAN learn how to effectively influence positive change, AND they won’t do it alone!

Is that you?

Right now, I’m looking for 4 more conscious leaders to join my Corporate Consciousness Ripple Formula case study. Book a call to see if being on the forefront of a revolution is your next move.

Solutions to our problems either already exist, or they are being created right now in perfect time, but they will remain hidden, suppressed, and denied without conscious leaders to overcome that resistance.

Join the revolution!

Karen Huller, author of Laser-sharp Career Focus: Pinpoint your Purpose and Passion in 30 Days (bit.ly/GetFocusIn30), is founder of Epic Careering, a 13-year-old leadership and career development firm specializing in executive branding and conscious culture, as well as JoMo Rising, LLC, a workflow gamification company that turns work into productive play. 

While the bulk of her 20 years of professional experience has been within the recruiting and employment industry, her publications, presentations, and coaching also draw from experience in personal development, performance, broadcasting, marketing, and sales. 

Karen was one of the first LinkedIn trainers and is known widely for her ability to identify and develop new trends in hiring and careering. She is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer, Certified Career Transition Consultant, and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist with a Bachelor of Art in Communication Studies and Theater from Ursinus College and a minor in Creative Writing. Her blog was recognized as a top 100 career blog worldwide by Feedspot. 

She is an Adjunct Professor in Cabrini University's Communications Department and previously was an Adjunct Professor of Career Management and Professional Development at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business She is also an Instructor for the Young Entrepreneurs Academy where some of her students won the 2018 national competition, were named America’s Next Top Young Entrepreneurs, and won the 2019 People’s Choice Award.