So, I am sitting in the Phoenix airport tonight, election night, waiting for my connecting flight home to California, and I have to say, the mood is somewhat subdued here.  One might think the quiet contemplation is due to the fact that the home state candidate's chances don't look good at this point (it is 8:30 pm here).  I am sure that may be part of it.  However, as an optimist, I would like to think that the quiet contemplation I sense around me is the recognition that, as a country, we are undergoing a sea change - a "poetical or informal term meaning a profound transformation; big significant change" (definition from Wikipedia).  Given the magnitude of the change that's coming (most likely), I think a little quiet contemplation and reflection - regardless of what color you vote - is in order.

Contemplation and reflection - and providing time to do them - is absolutely essential whenever we humans are faced with change - any kind of change.  Unfortunately, I don't know that we give ourselves the time, the space, the permission to reflect, to contemplate, to really fully come to grips what change - organizational change, job change, leadership change, personal change - really means for us.  Instead, we tend to rush through change, thinking all will be better when it's over!  As if change is something that ends, and we all go back to our original ways of being and doing.  At Knowledge Infusion, when we work with clients on human capital and talent management strategies and technology deployments, we try hard to slow our clients down, to encourage them to really truly contemplate and reflect on the change they are about to ask their employees, leaders and managers to engage and accept, and through this contemplation, really think about the best ways to bring about change that is sustainable, lasting, and impactful.

So, on this historic night when we are all getting ready to deal with "profound transformation; big significant change" nationally, let's all slow down, reflect and think about how we best work with change and bring about sustainable change that truly adds lasting value - to our jobs, our organizations, and yes, even to our country.