Wise words from my friend Boaz Tamir

On this eve of the New Jewish Year, the fog grows thicker and the horizon seems to be moving ever-further away: We face uncertainty, confusion and daily challenges to our assessments of what the morrow may bring. Once our slogan was, "Every plan serves as a basis for change;" but the in the current pace of change, we must adopt a slogan of, "Changes are the basis for never-ending planning."

The changes are multi-dimensional: technological innovations; global climate change, civil uprising and political unrest, drastic adjustments in public consciousness, consumer awareness and the political arena and the rearrangement of global and local systems are bringing about epic transformations. These are leading to a destabilization of the validity of established economic, political and managerial paradigms and their usefulness as a base for the development of economic-political polices and sustainable business strategies.

What should we wish for others and for ourselves as this New Year begins?

1. That we learn to adjust to reality, even if we have no theory to explain it.
2. That we learn to view chaos as a lever for creativity, disruption as an advantage and crisis as an opportunity.
3. That we are wise enough to create systems that blur hierarchical boundaries, whose stability stems from constant movement in fluid surroundings.
4. That we replace the paralyzing anxiety brought about by uncertainty with the ability to grow in a storm.
5. That we exchange pride with modesty, answers with questions and certainty with investigation.
6. That we succeed in integrating internal and external strengths as we enlist workers and managers to cope with an environment full of contradictions and disharmony.
7. And to those who have lost their way in the fog: We hope that they will be able to return to their foundations – to interpersonal relations, the foundations of culture, and to be willing to learn from organizational frameworks and cultures that have survived for thousands of years.

Happy New Jewish Year,
Boaz Tamir, Zicheron Yaakov, September 5th, 2013