Happy post-Thanksgiving food coma regards! I had a lovely weekend with family, fun and food, and I hope you did, too. We spent Thanksgiving with my in-laws and it was a turkey-free environment – Grandpa prefers duck and since he’s hosting… It was actually delicious and I got a turkey fix on Saturday when we got back, but it got me thinking…what if you don’t like turkey?! How does that affect a certain fowl focused feasting holiday? What if you’re a vegetarian or just prefer a four-footed entrée?
Families look very different than they did years ago – they are no longer the two parent, 2.5 kid paradigm, so maybe the traditions that feature them are in transition as well. Maybe it’s possible to have a bonding experience full of gratitude over a ham or a brussel sprout casserole…why not? It’s about recognizing things for which you are thankful and spending time with people who are important to you – why should a bird who didn’t make the cut for our national symbol have to be the focal point for a holiday celebrating the saving of a bunch of buckle-wearing runaways by native people we thanked by giving them smallpox?
All of this is to ask…what’s your work turkey? Is there a project, program or person that is the focus of your organizational energy and it’s no longer working? Maybe your work family makeup has changed – new staff, new members or new clients – and you need a new focal main course for your efforts and energies. Don’t let tradition color your ability to make forward progress – ensure a meaningful family gathering by changing things up with a pork roast or baked lasagna, or try a new marketing tactic or educational delivery system – your Uncle Jerry will appreciate it. But no matter what you serve, don’t forget to say thank you.
– Libby Bingham
GOOD FOR THE SOUL 