Change: The Inconvenient Truth

With so much talk of "an inconvenient truth," change has to be included as being such a creature. We go along doing things the way we always have. Thinking the same thoughts with few reasons to alter our perspectives. Suddenly, something happens and we have to change. Yikes. Outwardly, we nod and agree that keeping an open mind is important and good and even go so far as to describe ourselves as being open minded. And maybe we are - to a certain point. Yet inwardly, our brains are screaming, "No way! I am very comfortable with the way I view things and the manner in which I deal the world, thank you very much." Ah, change. Nevertheless, much like the monthly rent. It can not be ignored, nor should it. In fact, just the opposite: whether we like it nor, it must be embraced.

Right now, we are witnessing many elected officials and Washington pundits going through the ordeal of being forced to change. The enormous economic crisis. Climate change. Rising unemployment. Weakening infrastructure. These and other major problems are knocking at the door and the reality is they can no longer be addressed with band-aide solutions. Change in behavior and change in perspective are needed if they are finally going to be addressed in a lasting and meaningful way. Otherwise, an irreversible collapse is almost certain.

Resting on the shoulders of President Obama right now is the unenviable and oh-so heavy burden of being the change agent. Unlike any president we have had since since FDR, he has to get everyone to face the inconvenient truth of change and then embrace it. The bad news is that this great burden falls on the shoulders of one individual. But the good news is he seems to understand it and is actually working hard to get his fellow public servants and even the Washington media to follow suit. He's communicating through this through word and deed. Yes, it's tough. And, yes, he has run into some bumps in the road - not to mention resistance. But we can all take heart that we finally seem to have a commander in chief who understands that in order to adequately confront our many challenges, that change is the first order of business. In future entires I will be talking more about this dynamic and the communication steps and strategies that Obama needs to continue making in order to ultimately set our nation back on the right track.