I have a habit of telling stories. When I think of some of the members of a band that I was privileged to be a part of, the story we share defies belief. It just could not be! Even now, if you outline any of the problems we faced, it seems impossible.
We wanted to add capabilities for a major region in an Indian hub. The missing piece was easily described – no hub, no resources, and no capabilities. We wanted to have these capabilities yesterday! Same gap made the challenge even more daunting. Forty-two days later we had a home, people, and new work operating out of a world class facility. 10,000 square feet of developed office space, furniture, back-up generators, fiber optic lines, and global connectivity. Even at the time we were could not believe our eyes. Little did we realize then that this first milestone was just the beginning.
We had 1,800 employees across 60+ countries, using 19 different back office platforms with no sense of mission, identity, and shared processes. Within a matter of months, common job descriptions, a shared mission statement, and a growing belief that each was part of something greater than they ever imagined was a reality! In the midst of multiple other streams of change, the impossible became a new reality.
There are so many stories that are beyond belief. The one I have the hardest believing is the change that is ongoing within me. Is it possible to be better than I was and am? In the dark moments, when everything seems impossible, I remember the line of one teller of stories; “He opened the rock and water poured out; it flowed like a river through that desert.” (Psalm 105.41) I have no idea how or even if this happened. It seems impossible! I do know that the impossible has happened in the lives of people I know as well as myself. What can seem to be beyond belief can be real.
So much has already happened. The memories leave me with hope. Today is an opportunity.
