Truth be told, there’s not really that much that I want for myself this holiday season; certainly nothing in terms of consumer products.
Philosophically and for the overall public good, however, there is much to wish for. High on my list this year:
(1) Greater mutual respect: I have never experienced a year where, seemingly, certain individuals feel that a challenging economy is an excuse to treat people poorly, including attempting to devalue work product. No excuse holds water with me in this area.
(2) More rational decision making: Ok, the economy is tough, we get that. But everyone needs to stop, put fear aside and gain some perspective. Let’s stop putting business on hold. Remember, a 20% unemployment rate means 80% are working. And, while automotive is hurting, many, many other industries are not.
(3) Be thankful: This is a tough one. 401Ks are down, home values are down and all of us know individuals who have been looking for work for months if not a year or more. Yet, at no time during the holidays is it more apparent how much worse things can be as we read and watch stories of assistance for persons that are homeless, hungry, sick.
This holiday season, keep the faith, stay positive and look forward to the new year to come. We’ll be right there with you in 2010.