It may not surprise you to learn that during the first three months of the pandemic 20 million jobs were lost. You might recall the daily reports of the sufferings of those who had lost their jobs, and how applications for the government’s paycheck protection program (PPP) soared, to keep people “on the payroll.” In the blink of an eye, times had gotten very tough.
In our wildest dreams, none of us could have envisioned that only 18 months later, there would be 20 million available, but unfilled jobs. In what has become known as The Great Resignation or The Big Quit, millions of workers once scrambling to keep their jobs decided to simply stop working. At this very moment, we are all still reeling from the impact of that inconceivable shift, with supply line disruptions and slow service almost everywhere, due to lack of staff.
Welcome to the Ignite The Extraordinary Blog, where we (authors Steve and Tom) will be offering you timely observations and fresh insights about ways to more effectively lead yourself and others to achieve extraordinary and fulfilling careers – and lives. The example above illustrates just how much change and disruption is occurring on a regular basis. We wrote the book to help you navigate through and continue to grow during these kinds of times. Since we know that leaders are lifelong learners, we have created this column to provide those necessary “continuing education” opportunities for you. The road to extraordinary achievements is always filled with extraordinary challenges, which must be conquered. We plan to be here as coaches, mentors, advisors, and friends to assist you along the way.
You will find the models and lessons in the book to be “ignitors” for new ways of thinking. Our frequent updates and observations here will continue to answer questions you are struggling with and inspire you to continue to act with more confidence. We always welcome your comments, and especially your suggestions for relevant and meaningful future topics. And we appreciate you letting others know about our book and this column as well
Thank you for joining us on the thrilling journey to the Growth Frontier. It will be challenging, exasperating, exhilarating, heart-stopping, breath-taking… all the things that make life and work really meaningful.
Steve and Tom
