I was traveling yesterday, by air (I’d rather drive). While on layovers, I always head to airport bookstores. Bookstores are culturally challenged and I like to see what’s being pushed that’s different from the local Barne&Nobles.

This time it was more of a renewed perspective on an existing problem: change (imagine that!)

Standing inside the doorway, surveying the crowd, and wondering if I dared walk in, I was drawn to a book of previously published articles. In this book was a reprint of an article I passed around corporate last year by Harvard Professor John P. Kotter. The article was titled, “Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail.” Professor Kotter wrote a book back in 1996 with a similar title. In this article he lists “8 Big Errors” companies make when transforming (fancy name for CHANGE). I was struck hard by 6 of the 8, but in particular Error #1: Not Establishing a Great Enough Sense of Urgency.

Kotter’s “Error #1” has caused further reflection about Floaters vs Seekers.

As a quick definition, a floater is someone who is just passing the time, getting through the drudgery of work; waiting for 5 o’clock so he/she can….jingle those keys.

For the definition of a seeker, I’ll borrow from Os Guiness; "....true seekers are different. On meeting them you feel their purpose, their energy, their integrity, their idealism, and their desire to close in on an answer. They have become seekers because something has spurred their quest for meaning, and they have to find an answer. True seekers are looking for something. They are people for whom life, or a part of life, has suddenly become a point of wonder, a question, a problem, or a crisis. This happens so intensely that they are stirred to look for an answer beyond their present answers and to clarify their position in life. However the need arises, and whatever it calls for, the sense of need consumes the searchers and launches them on their quest."

Those of you who have read Guiness and the concept from which he writes about seekers could think I’ve taken a deeply intense subject and made light of it. But, I believe my correlation is totally relevant. Seekers are exactly what Alethes needs right now. A Seeker has urgency about his/her work and it seeking to change something; even if it is wrong! Seekers are engaged in robust evaluation and correction.

We, as a team and as an individual, don’t have time to float. The time is now for new AUS files; the time is now for creating WOWs with our clients. Our clients have choices. You have choices. I could write all morning about taking Personal Accountability for how you talk to people, how you answer the phone, how you return phone calls, how you CREATE URGENCY, how you walk around looking for someone that needs assistance, how you FIND a client that needs assistance.

What choices are you going to make today?

I Pray that you to have a Great Sense of Urgency; be a Seeker.

P.R.O.V.I.D.E Leadership,

Danny