Level the Scales
How are you coping with change? It’s a question we have all been getting, especially as leaders and frequently, as this surreal 2020 continues to unfold.
So how am I coping? Actually, pretty well, because change has never thrown me for a loop, even with the abundance this pandemic has brought about. Where I suffer is with how to achieve balance – is it even possible when our world has been turned upside down with no certainty in sight?
As a Libra, balancing the scales is core to my nature and being. Before COVID-19, I felt I had achieved adequate success at maintaining my balance. I knew life was not simple and that obstacles would be thrown my way. I just needed to brace myself for them. I believe the descriptive term back then was work/life balance - it has become more complex now – more like a work/life/lives balance. I began to fear this new pandemic paradigm was unattainable.
Becoming the CEO of an incredible organization like Tourism Cares was both a dream come true and an opportunity to leave something positive behind in what well could be my final career chapter – the cherry on top of an over thirty-year career in the travel industry. That happenstance alone can serve as a buoy in the toughest of seas, but now I find myself pondering the following on a regular basis:
How can we ensure the viability of our greatest assets – the places we travel to and the local people that define the culture and authenticity?
How can we rebuild our industry?
How can we be more inclusive?
And sometimes even, how can we save the world?
Suffice it to say, that is a lot, especially for someone who likes to keep things in balance. It feels like a boulder has been placed on one of my scales.
We have to do our part – as individuals, companies, and the powerful industry that we represent. There is and should be an optimism that we can emerge from this better. We need to cross this threshold together and find ways to get in front of this virus that has taken our livelihoods and exposed how fragile our existence is. While the boulder is formidable, I’ll keep chipping away at it, as long as there are friends, colleagues and a community on board to help. Together we can level the scales.
~ Greg Takehara, CEO, Tourism Cares
