I love the reactions we get from this picture that hangs in our living room. This is my family about 17 years ago. If you can’t figure it out, that’s Emily, Kayla and me.
It’s not uncommon for people to snicker when they see the picture. I don’t blame them. We’ve changed quite a bit since then. I rarely wear double-breasted sports coats anymore. I don’t own a pair of wingtip loafers. My pants don’t have pleats and cuffs.
It’s actually a good thing that people laugh at this picture. That’s confirmation that things have changed. And it’s not just my appearance. My family has changed. There are new people in my life — namely Jacob, Abby and Brooke. My perspective has changed. My knowledge and experiences of life have changed. My faith has changed. I’m not the same person I was 17 years ago.
So what about your organization? When people look at “pictures” from the past, do they snicker a little bit? Do they laugh at how different things look? Or is it difficult for them to discern any noticeable change?
It’s okay to look at a picture from the past and experience a sense of nostalgia for the way things used to be. It’s a sign of unhealthiness though if we look at the picture and we don’t chuckle a little.
Consider your current vision, strategy and results. Then compare them to the pictures from five, ten or fifteen years ago.
Do the pictures make you laugh?
