Dig in your heels

Right now, it feels like gravity has shifted. We can all feel it. As an organization (or a human), it can seem disingenuous to carry on as if nothing has changed. But talking about it can be disingenuous, too—tone-deaf, indistinguishable in a tidal wave of identical messages, or worse, predatory. But the question is at the back of all of our minds, on the tip of our tongues:

How should we be talking right now? Or should we?

At Bullhorn, we have grappled with this question. We are promoting Brad’s book, which happened to land on shelves just as states began mandating stay-at-home orders. We launched our impact report, which we’ve all been intimately involved with for several months. It’s deflating. It knocks you out of balance. It’s also an opportunity.

There is no right answer. There is a path forward.

Replace a few details—a project name, a goal, whatever—and this probably sounds familiar. Finding your footing is difficult. But responding in an authentic, meaningful way is possible. And important.

As a group of people uncomfortable with contentment, we are no stranger to change. As individuals, we are reinvigorated by it. This is articulated in our core value of dissatisfaction + improvement. Along with the other two values (creativity + decisiveness, empathy + honesty), this became our guidepost in deciding how (and when) to say something.

Dig in your heels. Find your voice.

This moment presents an opportunity to dig in your heels. To demonstrate, and grow in, your core values. Core values are fundamental and inherent to who you are; they are what provide internal cohesion and external distinction. Most simply, they are deeply held beliefs that guide you through times of growth and times of challenge. Including now.

If you have not taken some time to establish your values, or if they fall short of serving as a compass, here is an exercise your team can use to develop them. Done with honesty and discernment, they feel intrinsic, like an articulation of what was true, and what will be true in the future—whatever that may bring.