Chicken Little Accomplished Nothing

Sometimes it seems like life has become accelerating treadmill. We’re running faster and faster, and still seem to be falling behind. More meetings, more sales calls, more networking events, more hassles and more negotiations with vendors and clients can blend into a dizzying blur of activity. Crises pop up faster than we can respond, and putting out fires is the daily order of business. It seems that we’re teetering on the edge of chaos and it’s only a matter of time before we fall in.

In the midst of this, it’s important to remember – Chicken Little accomplished nothing.

Activity for the sake of activity accomplishes nothing. Indeed, thoughtless activity can and often does make things worse. It can be much harder to undo things than to do the right thing the first time.

Panic can be deadly. Extreme circumstances call for extreme clarity in thought and action. Consider police, fire, military and hospital personnel. These individuals are poised for crisis on an ongoing basis. And when the situation is extreme, and often literally a matter of life and death, they must act quickly, calmly and efficiently. Panic is not an effective option.

In business, too, panic is not an effective option. Pause and think before acting. Ask questions. Act deliberately. In today’s world, time, money and energy are precious and limited resources. We don’t have the luxury of wastefulness. Make every action count.

Chicken Little accomplished nothing.