The Third Step Is To Allow The Impossible

Dr Richard Shrapnel PhD
2 min readJan 24, 2023
Photography by Oksana Taran on Unsplash.com

Reflection … December 2022 — January 2023

Over these two months, we will ask you to consider one question.

Active Knowledge Question:

Are you drawing the real potential that exists in your people, and in yourself, to the forefront and applying it to a righteous cause?

And in responding to this question, we will consider four key themes — Potential — Righteousness — Impossible — Language — and their role in bringing unrealised potential to the forefront for you personally and in your business.

What Limits Have You Set?

We often set limits on the potential that exists within our organisations, and their people, without even recognising this unintended impact. Our focus can be on what must be done today and tomorrow to achieve a budget, complete a project or simply sort out a mess. We call for attention and effort to be applied to this task. And then once that is finished, there is always another task requiring urgent attention.

This continuous focus on what must be done today simply means there is no time to think of tomorrow. And as the days and weeks progress, everyone falls into the pattern of what must be done, and no one has the time, energy or motivation for what might be done tomorrow.

The outcome of course, is that the business is tied to its existing train tracks and has little hope of changing course. It will likely lose its competitiveness over time as customers and the market move in another direction. And anyone within the organisation with a heart and passion for the future has surrendered it or left to work elsewhere.

Removing limits requires a faith in the people and the organisation. It requires faith that your leadership has moulded an organisation that is capable of addressing what needs to be done today while also keeping an eye open for opportunities and not letting them pass by. Growth is continuous, and it is the pull of the future that ensures sustainability and compounding competitiveness. And where the anchor of the past has been released.

Some further reading:

The impossible will only ever be achieved where there is freedom to imagine, explore and play. And all this can be achieved while doing what has to be done today. It is about balance, but it is also about a willingness, and strong faith, that allows you to trust your people. To trust them with today and inspire them to search for tomorrow.

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All the best in the success of your business,

Richard Shrapnel

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