How To Overcome Uncertainty At Work, Business And In Life

The news that 80,000 people lost their jobs this past March adds on to the "social buffaloes" we have to face. Millions are in the midst of battling the mortgage buffalo that seems to needs extra "spears" to bring it under control. Others are dealing with personal issues: divorce, stressful work environments, or disappearing business opportunities.

The news of jobs being cut came a week before the release of, “Overcoming Buffaloes at Work & in Life” (visit www.Overcomingbuffaloes.com). That calls for an understanding of life with uncertainties.

Whatever your situation, living with uncertainties, not knowing about your tomorrow is like living with a water buffalo at-large. You know it's out there. But you don't know when and from which direction it will invade your village. You also know that when it invades, someone will be adversely affected. But you don't know who that will be.

That uncertainty, as stressful as it, is confounded by profound reality. Villagers had to continue gathering food, collecting firewood and fetching water from the same forests or sources of water that were buffalo infested.

Our modern jungle presents its realities as well. The uncertain workplaces are still the source of our livelihood. The struggling financial institutions are the engines that must fuel the economic recovery we need. The shaky relationships are what we need to strengthen for stability as families, communities and a society.

Here are some things to ponder on how to not only survive but thrive in chaotic times.

1. Don't harbor unrealistic expectations. Nothing remains the same forever. Things must change to remain viable or get better. Expecting growth without change is unrealistic.

2. Complaining is an exercise that does nothing to the prevailing challenges. Just as a buffalo wouldn't disappear just because villagers complained, change won't go away because we are unhappy with it.

3. Don't get into the blame mode. Don't blame yourself for what you can't stop from happening. One of my childhood songs was,"…tiinyie neeie mboo syuke" meaning, I am not the one who told the buffaloes to appear. Mortgage crises, changes in the workplace or adverse decisions/ actions by others without your knowledge are "buffaloes" you can't stop.

4. Blaming others while the "buffalo" is still at large means wasted time, resources and focus. You are responsible for making your organization overcome whatever buffalo it is facing.

5. Be a positive contributor. How can you help to overcome the buffalo? When the buffalo is overcome, everyone benefits. The least you can do is to have a positive attitude that motivates others to focus on the benefits of change instead of the bumps along the way.

6. Team up with others. One chapter in, “Overcoming Buffaloes in the Workplace” explains how young men using simple homemade spears were able to overcome a life- threatening buffalo. Your skills, knowledge and abilities combined with those of your team members are what your organization needs to thrive in unpredictable times.

7. Be a part of something larger than a career. Some of the anxieties we go through in industrial areas are unknown in traditional communities where transactions are less important than relationships. Being involved in your community's non-profit activities brings a sense of fulfillment that a paycheck can't provide. The networks you develop and the new skills you acquire may be the channel you need for your next level of professional and personal endeavor.