Until the next one. . .
“Where will the next one hit?” the volcanologists muse. Well, after listening to my clients and colleagues in recent weeks, I am thinking the next volcano may erupt right in your own backyard.
Relax. That’s a metaphor, of course (unless you are reading this from Iceland, Hawaii, Washington State, or somewhere along the ocean floor, and in that case, don’t relax, breathe!) Now, I’m not predicting that hot magma will start pouring out of Mrs. McKraken’s herb garden next door, but I am predicting there’s a volcano in your work or life right now. Can you see it?
Think of it this way. A volcano is most often caused by a shift of things coming together or moving farther apart. Anything shifting and changing in your workplace today? I thought so. Also, a volcano’s explosion generates a lot of heat . . . and a lot of hot air . . .can you feel it yet?
Where’s your volcano? Here are some places to check first.
A challenging relationship. Who’s that person in your workplace or community who just sets your teeth on edge? I feel fortunate to have very, very few of these in my life today, but I did run into one last week – and it reminded me that until I bring all the painful lava to the surface, it’ll just keep bubbling.
An unspoken conflict. What points of view are starting to simmer under the surface? Where are the disagreements or divergent viewpoints that need to get aired and recognized before they erupt? Taking action to air the conflict now may prevent you from having to evacuate the villagers later.
Your own brewing opinion. What are you starting to think/believe/know that’s different from where you’ve been in the past? For example, I used to believe I was most effective when I created a successful compromise solution; now I’m not so anxious to compromise the things I believe are right. What’s cooking inside you that may be a change from how people typically see you?
That mechanical thing that never works right. The TV that always flashes 12:00, the toaster with only one working slot, the car door lock that only opens manually. Each time something’s not working the way it should, it nibbles at our brainpower to work around it. Thomas Leonard, considered the father of modern coaching, categorized these things as “tolerations” and advocated for eliminating them from our life. What can you get fixed before it explodes – or makes you explode?
Your own passion. Based on what I hear from my clients, this might be the biggest, most powerful volcano of all. How much of what you want to do, love to do, l – o – n – g to do, are you actually doing in your current job? How is your work using your special and unique talents and gifts? How are you being valued, rewarded, and recognized for it? It’s time to ERUPT and force those talents out! Don’t be afraid or shy – the world desperately needs the gifts you bring.
Get a jump start on the prognosticators and pinpoint the location of your own volcanoes today. Maybe you can prevent an explosion. Or perhaps you can just be better prepared for the inevitable. Either way, you’ll be ready for whatever happens – and you’ll be ready to fly when the dust finally settles.
Now that you’re looking for them, where else are you finding volcanos?
April 2010
