Facing the Music

How often in our lives do we have a chance to stand tall and face the music?  This is not like going to hear our favorite musical group or listening to our children’s musical endeavors (or husband’s as in Debbie’s case).  I am talking about points in our lives, in our business, in our activities where there is a tough issue to face, a difficult junction for the future or a change that is required.  We face minor versions of this on a daily basis.  We have all watched other people and how they handle the situation – some people stand tall to make a decision showing great confidence, while some people wait to see how other people will react and other people find something else to hold their attention so as not to address what they should.

When facing the music, it can come in more than one flavor.  Often, we see the item at hand ahead of time with plenty of notice (if we are diligent about paying attention).  With a lot of lead time, instead of addressing the issue, we procrastinate and wait until the last minute missing potential opportunities occur.  A second would be when we round a corner that brings an issue to the forefront.  We see, we know it is there, we saw the cause and effect that caused it and have the time to react and adjust accordingly.  This is business as usual.  The third would be a crisis.  Eyes wide open, diligence of watching for pitfalls can not prepare one for facing something that needs a resolution NOW.  In this case we are most reactive and will have to possibly adjust afterwards once the dust settles.

In all three cases, you can decide not to face the music and be passive all the time.  In the second scenario, the way one reacts becomes more about their daily attitude.  For the people we known, we have a pretty good idea on how they will react to different situations.  We have all know managers, decision makers, etc. who we might go to when things arise because we have seen how they react and ask for their advice.  Yes, asking for advice helps when you know someone has been in the same situation.  It is the first scenario, where we have the most amount of time to correct a course, enact new ideas and strategize for the future that can become the most painful to face the music on.  Because there is no immediate sense of urgency, the tendency is that things will correct themselves and we hope for the best; however, hope is not an actionable item.  We also can fall into the trap defined by the quote attributed to Albert Einstein, “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.”  If addressed up front, it is easier to make required changes, but by procrastinating facing the music there comes a difficulty where options have been narrowed due to waiting.

Facing the music has not gotten any easier since we have been children.  Leadership requires donning the big boy or girl pants.  Being an adult means taking responsibility when things are difficult.  In the television show “Once Upon a Time,” Rumpelstiltskin said many time “Magic comes with a cost.”  The same is true for the decisions and the timing on when they are made (i.e., action / reaction).   I agree – it is much easier to be streaming a favorite playlist, spinning our favorite platter or popping a disc into a player (notice, no 8-track reference).  Sometimes, we just have to put on the headphones to create the sound track when we go to face the music.