For those of us who celebrate Christmas, we are in season of Advent, which is a season of waiting and expectation. My pastor read from Psalm 27:14 this past Sunday and he challenged us to wait patiently for the birth of our Savior and for our prayers to be answered, but at the same time to be brave and courageous.
I believe that is where many of us are in our businesses, too, as we close 2009 in just a few short weeks. I have been reading several predictions and surveys that are being posted on LinkedIn groups, such as the Association for Accounting Marketing, and CPA Trendlines. These predictions attempt to gauge people’s outlook for 2010. Across the nation, the mood seems to be one of conservative optimism.
That is where patience has come in for so many of us. I’d like to see this economy turn around faster than it seems to be and I would like more immediate – and crystal clear - answers about which opportunities to capitalize on and which ones to pass by. My partner, Jennifer Wilson, sent me a Tweet over the weekend about patience (with her impeccable timing!): "Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow-that is patience." ~Tolstoy
I think that is a good summary of 2009. While we’ve been waiting for “better times ahead,” at ConvergenceCoaching we’ve been at work on some very important initiatives in our business, such as launching our new online, self-study CPE courses and developing our marketing and business development toolsets, while also helping clients get back to the basics of financial management and refocus their teams on business development and client retention.
That’s what it’s all about in the end. The struggles and challenges of 2009 have allowed us to reflect on those that are important to us, such as our clients, family and friends. We have much to be thankful for as I shared in my Thanksgiving blog, A Time to Give Thanks, and in my post, It Will All Come Together.
I believe if we continue to do what we know to be right as we patiently wait for new doors to open in 2010, we will be poised to capitalize on them and we will be stronger for it. Sometimes, we just need a reminder of that, and your team may need that reminder of it, too. Consider sharing your optimism for the future with them and with us, too. What are you hoping for or expecting during this season of “waiting?”
Warmly,
Tamera
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