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Changing Perspectives
Rutendo Gwatidzo
WHATEVER you might be going through in life, you are neither the first nor the last one to experience it.
Many people suffer in silence. Why should they suffer alone in a world full of people?
Speaking out helps you find peace.
Many of us are hard-pressed from all sides, as things may not be working out as we plan and wish.
It is always worth remembering that we are not alone.
Together we achieve more
Be deliberate about talking to even those who might be walking with you down the ugly road. Yes, you might be on the same road but circumstances that led you there might differ.
As you share experiences, you may find common ground to combine your strengths and overcome your weaknesses.
Personal experience
Once upon a time, I found myself in bad debt because business had not gone the way I had anticipated.
Just as I thought of doing a clearance sale to cover the debt and close the business, I decided to talk to someone whose business was also struggling.
In the end, we realised we could combine our strengths. We then merged our businesses and things began to pick up.
Within six months, we had cleared all our debts. We opened other branches and business blossomed.
However, we decided to amicably part ways to pursue different visions.
We continued to focus on our goals, which we came back to at a later stage.
A good number of employees are mentally challenged, especially as a result of Covid-19.
Many have experienced changes in their personal lives that seemed to be temporary.
Some experienced salary cuts and others took on more responsibilities as companies restructured.
In short, many organisations are struggling with the fallout from the pandemic. Today’s world requires team effort to conquer challenges.
Sharing challenges can help you come up with solutions.
However, the challenge comes when no one is willing to let go of things that hold them back. To fly high, you need to let go of what weighs you down.
Employees should also collaborate to achieve organisational goals.
Many lose creativity and innovation simply because they fear losing their jobs.
Instead of focusing on what might go wrong, there is need to focus on what might go right, then pursue it with speed.
In my human resources experience, I have come across many who arrange meetings to gossip about their bosses and colleagues instead of sharing real situations, discussing possible solutions.
Management and employees should put their heads together and come up with strategies to keep businesses alive.
We must learn to adapt our environment before we get carried away.
No matter how much we wish away Covid-19, it is still with us.
Changes occasioned by the pandemic may not quickly fade away as we want them to.
The same way we pooled our efforts to fight the pandemic is the same way we should fight its effects.
Community status
There is a lot of naming, shaming, judging, condemning and finger-pointing among people who should be united to make a difference.
In such circumstances, depression becomes the norm, with the likelihood of rising cases of suicide and drug abuse.
Unless we unite and combine efforts, our challenges might multiply and last longer. Be challenged to speak out no matter what people say.
Do not hold on to the saying that “dying is better than being put to shame”.
Life has to go on.
You can even make a difference through telling your story.
It is better to share your challenges and get help than to keep your challenges to yourself. Inasmuch as communities do talk, somewhere somehow, you still find someone who will help.
The same applies in the workplace, there is usually at least one person who gives a genuine listening ear and that person will guide you accordingly.
Do not suffer in silence.
Help might be next to you, but you have to speak out to be heard.
Do not focus on what makes you worse; instead, focus on what makes you better — speak out and step out.
Rutendo Gwatidzo is a culture and change management strategist. She is as an HR consultant, speaker, mentor and author of the book “Born to Fight”. Feedback: 0714575805/ [email protected] / Rutendo Gwatidzo official fb public page
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