Throughout my career in employment, training, education, business and community development, I/we have always tried to stay ahead and “on-the-cutting-edge” of the systems. Whether I was designing a new program, partnering with a non-traditional organization and/or creatively utilizing technology to solve a customer service problem, I/we made it our standard business procedure to advance beyond the norm.

A great strategy, mode-of-operation…right?  But what happens to professionals when they move out or their “zone” or area of expertise?

Well, let me just say that my long-term mentor and former college professor was SO right when he advised me to “never assume or believe that everyone has been where I have been or experienced what I have experienced.” Hence it is critical to understand that in almost every situation, what is Old to Some… is New to Others!

So why is this an important TRIPLE III TIME message?

To be an effective communicator/leader, you must always strategically position yourself between the old and the new and establish a mid-ground special foothold to maximize your message effectiveness.  If you start too far ahead… it is impossible for the old gang to see where you are going.  Likewise, if you go too far back those dreaming of a new future become disinterested quickly and lose their focus on what next!

So, do I have an ideal solution to this age-old dilemma? … No?  Just know that Dr. B had to remind me over and over about this challenge… and that if I wanted individuals/groups to invite me back to help them as a consultant in the future… I needed to master the: Old to Some… New to Others issue.