Gone are the days when we could think of ourselves, our teams and our organisations in splendid isolation. We now discover, abruptly at times, that everything is interconnected, everything is interdependent. We see impacts of global markets on domestic markets and vice versa. We see impacts of national and international policy on local people. We see sudden, unexpected changes that come out of nowhere, traceable only in retrospect, that dramatically shape our lives and work.
In the third sector where I’ve spent most of my professional life, we used to think of, say, human rights, international development and environmental issues as completely separate. We now see them as integrally related. Make a change in one area and it impacts on people and communities in another area - or in another part of the world. We can’t always see the connections but we can certainly feel them. This makes the world more complex, less predictable, less certain. A pervasive atmosphere of complexity and uncertainty can evoke personal, social, economic and political anxiety. Leaders and ideologies are emerging across the globe that offer simplistic solutions, often at the extremes, that create a comforting illusion. They may help us sleep more peacefully, live more purposefully. Yet they ignore, dismiss or suppress aspects of reality that don’t fit their simple narrative. To break free from this, we must learn to surface and live with uncomfortable truths. A stark example: witness the rhetoric in the UK and other Western nations this year in the face of unplanned, large-scale migration into Europe. Social media is filled with heated debate. ‘They’re all helpless refugees – rescue them!’ vs ‘They’re all terrorist sympathisers – reject them!’ It poses an either-or, black-white choice. To say, ‘It’s complicated. It calls for a sophisticated response’ sounds like a cop out, a refusal to take sides, a stance devoid of passion, a betrayal of a cause. So we find ourselves facing an existential crisis, created and fuelled in part by a perfect storm of influences. These include: spread of Islamic extremism, growth in right/left wing nationalism, intolerant illiberal liberalism, gross economic inequality, unprecedented global awareness via the internet, powerful social media, more failed states, huge displacement of people, alarming climate change. It can feel perplexing, confusing, debilitating. How to take a stance in the midst of all this? Adrian Spurrell (Synapse Solutions), my professional mentor, has been a persistent voice of challenge and support this year. ‘We can be driven by fear or by hope. Choose hope.’ It reminds me of hope in the Christian gospel too – a faith I experience as real – when we affirm the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s a mysterious faith that holds onto hope, is held onto by hope, often in the midst of hope-lessness. May we know peace and hope this Christmas time and the courage to stand in 2016.
18 Comments
Haven
22/12/2015 02:24:28 pm
GREAT MIND,WITH HUMANITARIAN ANGLES TO VIEW LIFE'S JOURNEY WITH POSITIVE MIND POWER TO FACE EVERY NEW DAY WITH STRONG HEART THEN FAITH TO GOD THE CREATOR OF LIFE...KUDOS FOR IMPOWERING WOMEN'S INNER BATTLE...YOUR WORDS ARE VENTALATION TO OUR TORMENT.
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Nick Wright
22/12/2015 04:12:26 pm
Thank you for your kind and encouraging feedback, Haven. With blessings. Nick
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Shanti Shah
22/12/2015 04:02:39 pm
"We can be driven by fear or by hope. Choose hope. It’s a mysterious faith that holds onto hope, is held onto by hope, often in the midst of hope-lessness." Thank you, Nick Wright.
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Nick Wright
22/12/2015 04:10:51 pm
Thanks Shanti. With blessings. Nick
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Tom Roberts
22/12/2015 04:03:25 pm
Great post!
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Nick Wright
22/12/2015 04:09:44 pm
Thanks Tom. I appreciate your encouraging feedback. With blessings. Nick
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Terrence H Seamon
22/12/2015 04:29:20 pm
When Life around you says "Give up. It's no use trying any more," Hope whispers "Don't give up. Better days are ahead. Try it one more time."
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Nick Wright
22/12/2015 04:29:53 pm
I love those words, Terrence. Thank you for sharing! With blessings. Nick
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Ian Henderson
22/12/2015 04:30:39 pm
Seriously good article Nick and one that makes you think - which I guess is what it's all about. Thanks for posting.
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Nick Wright
22/12/2015 04:31:58 pm
Many thanks, Ian. Perhaps you can tell I'm in reflective mood as Christmas approaches, especially in view of all that's happening in the world at the moment. With blessings. Nick
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Steve Lee
22/12/2015 05:31:15 pm
Great post!
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Nick Wright
22/12/2015 05:41:54 pm
Thanks Steve! With blessings. Nick
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Owiafe Francois
22/12/2015 08:15:51 pm
Great post!
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Nick Wright
22/12/2015 08:16:35 pm
Thank you, Owiafe! With blessings. Nick
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Huyen Tran
24/12/2015 01:12:01 pm
Thanks Nick for the article. May the light of Christmas continue to illuminate your life and guide you towards the path of success. May the Lord's blessings pour upon you and your family abundantly this Christmas and throughout the New Year 2016.
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Nick Wright
24/12/2015 01:13:48 pm
Hi Huyen and thank you for such a kind and thoughtful blessing. It's great to see that you are now ND of WV Vietnam. I very much enjoyed the time I spent with you there. May God bless you and your family richly this Christmas and throughout 2016. Nick
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Tony Larkin
25/12/2015 07:39:00 pm
Great post!
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Nick Wright
25/12/2015 07:40:09 pm
Thanks Tony. Merry Christmas! With blessings. Nick
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Nick WrightI'm a psychological coach, trainer and OD consultant. Curious to discover how can I help you? Get in touch! Like what you read? Simply enter your email address below to receive regular blog updates!
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