Yesterday, we celebrated our Fathers—the men they are, the people they’ve made us, and the countless great things they do for their families. And, one of the greatest things fathers do for their families is provide us life lessons. As any child will tell you, when we’re given these lessons in life and then told that “one day we’ll understand”, we typically don’t see how that will happen. However, as the years progress and we transition into adulthood, these lessons then become applicable to our everyday lives. Which, when you think about it, is very profound in itself. So in commemoration of yesterday’s holiday, I’d like to share with you one of the many life lessons my father gave me and my brother and sisters.
My father drove a taxi for more than 20 years. So growing up in Chicago , it was important to him that his four kids had a sense of direction—literally. He told us that there were always at least three ways to get anywhere. So he would set up lunch dates and other such activities to empower each of us to utilize our critical-thinking skills to navigate throughout the city—whether it be by bus, “The L”, or foot.
At the time, we couldn’t see that this was not just an exercise in futility, but rather a valuable learning experience, that would carry over beyond directional navigation, and be applied to both career and personal choices. In both set of choices, we always map out the best plan of action, but as we all know, the easiest route is not necessarily the one that works. And we all also know that this then leads to frustration and conflict, among other emotions. The lesson my father was instilling in us was that if the best laid plan falls through, you channel the energy of your frustration, conflict, etc. to think of at least two other ways you can reach the same goal. The point behind his lesson was that there are at least three crucial factors we have to put into play when making decisions in life:
1) Be nimble. The roads of life are not all straight-a-ways. Most of them, if not all, challenge us with unexpected turns—some sharper than others. It’s important that we train ourselves to be able to stop on a dime and shift directions as needed—a necessary skill to possess in not only PR, marketing and communications, but business in general.
2) Be resolution-oriented. We’ve all run into roadblocks along our paths to progress. But like the great Frederick Douglass said, “Without a struggle, there can be no progress.” The key is to find feasible ways around these roadblocks, to continue on the path you’re headed. In PR, resolutions are one of the most valued weapons in our arsenal—especially in times of crisis communications/management. The corporate world would not be the corporate world without problems and issues. Similarly, it would not be the same without those within it who provide options to resolve these situations.
3) Be creative. Sometimes the easiest or most obvious solutions to a problem, simply won’t work. In our industry, that “sometimes” can be more often than not. Like the saying goes, “sometimes you have to think outside of the box”, and this means coming up with creative ways to tackle the challenges we may face. This is pretty much the story of our lives in PR, marketing, and advertising—the effectiveness of our professions depends on our creative thinking. No client wants a campaign that lacks innovation or depth. They want what is defining and will elevate the integrity of and loyalty to their brands.
As I’ve looked back on life, there’s so many ways my dad prepared me—mentally, physically, emotionally—and professionally. The lesson my father taught his kids was a simple one—any journey is a decision-making process, and you can reach the same endpoint, but oftentimes, you reach that point by taking an alternate route. And, this builds character, as well as collaboration and leadership skills. This lesson is applicable across the board in life—from your soul, to your home, to your office. So, the next time you run into that proverbial brick wall, just remember: there’s still at least two more ways around it.
Rashada Whitehead | SVP and Managing Director
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