Last week I posted an article written by my oldest son, Nathan Furr,* for Harvard Business Review, which you can find here or on my website. Nathan discusses his interview with Nobel Prize winner Ben Feringa, who shares his wisdom about uncertainty.
Mr. Feringa says that we need to be resilient in the face of the frustration that comes with uncertainty; of course, we could not be in more uncertain times than now. On April 2, I posted an article about resilience, which was part of a recent Crisis Management for Small & Medium Enterprises publication; I noted that if we can skillfully manage these problems and struggles, then we would become stronger as individuals while also helping our organizations emerge stronger. What we are experiencing now and the ways in which we learn to adapt can and will continue to serve us, and our organizations in the future.
In an interview with Australian filmmaker Benjamin Gilmour, Mr. Gilmour was quoted as saying, “Most people see obstacles and they interpret it as a sign to stop. I’ve learned to see obstacles as a sign I was heading in the right direction.”
Talent and skill are important for success, but resilience and persistence are just as critical. We all face obstacles, and we need to exercise resilience and persistence to overcome them. Now as always, focus on what is within your circle of control and influence. Be vigilant, remain calm, and take prudent caution. The current crisis will pass.
Are you sticking to the plan you made in late 2019 or early 2020? The landscape has changed and your plans should too. It’s time to be flexible and adapt to this change. If you need guidance, I am here to help you: 503-312-3145
*If you are interested in reading more from Nathan Furr, a strategy professor at Insead, the International Business School in France, he has written four books: Nail It, Then Scale It, (2011), The Innovator’s Method (2014), Leading Transformation (2018), and Innovation Capital (2019).
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