Those who know me know I enjoy running (yes, I freely admit there’s something wrong with me). I started running several years ago and begin most days going for a run first thing in the morning. I’ve found it’s a great way to start my day, get my blood pumping, and set me up with some energy (especially as I’m NOT a morning person!).
Anyway, this weekend when I was out and about, I tried a new route and found an area that I hadn’t seen before. I came across a small pond with a water feature, a trail circling the water, a dock and benches placed all around. It was very pretty and peaceful and was a reminder of the fun “surprises” I’ve found during some of my runs.
It also made me think about how easy it is to go through life and not notice things, especially in the business world. We get caught up in our daily tasks and often don’t believe we have time to look up, much less pay attention to what’s going on around us. But that’s where we can miss out on opportunities.
Look up from your computer/desk/phone and you might notice that one of your employees achieved success with a new responsibility they’d added. Another might be struggling with something new. Maybe someone has personal issues and is stressed for other reasons and needs words of encouragement. Being a manager means paying attention to what’s going on around you.
The gems we find can range between diamonds and coal, but they also provide opportunities to reach out. Looking up can also help get us out of our habits and encourage some creativity from time to time.
Occasionally, we need to look around and try to see things with new eyes. Where do we need to push forward? Where do we need to hold back? What should we stop doing or start doing? If we don’t look up sometimes, we will miss out and so will our staff.
Take a few minutes to look around—you never know what you’ll discover!
