Unconscious Business

   Human nature is often times as predictable as the steady turn of the seasons year after year.  It happens whether you like it or not and you really can’t stop it.  So it is with deceit.  It is a natural outgrowth of this arrogant attitude you and your company have taken on and you can’t stop it.  That’s why when you’ve gotten this far it might be time to bend over and kiss it good bye.  You become complacent in what you do and you begin to deceive yourself about what’s really happening.  You do that because you don’t believe it or you think you are immune from market conditions or the defensive moves of your competition.  You deceive yourself because you really don’t want to hear about it.  This is a powerhouse of an organization and nothing has the power to take it down.

            Even more destructive, though, is the deception of those around you.  When a company is on a roll, nobody wants to be accused of being the weak link in the organization, the one who might bring it down.  So, the truth begins to be managed by subordinates, superiors, and peers, alike, painting a picture of an environment that is more fantasized than real.  Perception gets carefully crafted and molded. Then everyone begins to live the lie and the fantasy becomes reality.  You begin to hear more and more of the mantra: “damn, we’re good!”  And the tough part is – you all really believe it.  Besides, the loyalty of following the company line won’t let you not believe it.  Your unconsciousness has now turned into a full-fledged coma.  All it takes at this point is an external blow, or even internal bleeding to uncover the sickness underneath the skin.  At this point, reality starts to bite!  And the impending take down is going to hurt.  It’s going to ruin a lot of lives and destroy reputations.  It will be ugly and unwavering.  Few will survive.