Epic Resiliency.  It's a term I heard once.  It's a mojo and a hope.  I recently had some humbling moments which gave me pause and a time to reflect - what is it that keeps you forging forward when challenges arise and moments demand your best foot forward?  Epic Resiliency.  I went tonight to Wal-Mart to pick up some organizational tools - a planner and a dry erase board.  I realized these tools were needed when I sat back and looked at all my open requirements and almost felt overwhelmed at the task at hand - how can I chip away at these 25+ requisition monsters that are each begging for my time?  And what about the partners - internal folks who show an interest and the external candidates?  How does one balance all of this - Epic Resiliency.  Candidate Control, Client Control.  And holding the line on what I need and focusing on my most valuable asset - time.

Tonight I thought of all these challenges that come this time of year.  Specifically, trying to coordinate schedules of multiple professionals - all of whom are moving targets when it comes to pinning them down and keeping to the forefront.  I made a choice over this past weekend that I would forge firmly forward and fill these particular requirements - find the needle in a haystack if I had to source personally and find with laser focus those who I know are needed to build the epic matches and outcomes that make the incredible happen. 

There is something I like to call "staffing fire" - it is rather simple really - it is the determination that when folks in your immediate sphere of influence challenge you to bring your "A game" and push with every artful endeavor to close your toughest requirements and to do so with grace and a smile.  Staffing burnout is very real.  This is why I find this forum so cathartic - I can write down thoughts and with professional hope get the gumption to rise again when the toughest requirements have put their Goliath like, and Mammoth like challenges in front of you.

Whether it is bandwidth, patience, charm, grace, or an open minded spirit - the professional day of staffing is so full of moments that make you rise to your inward fire and focus on what trully matters. 

Tomorrow - the dry erase board will put my most pressing goals at eye level, and my new planner will serve as a map to see what deadlines and future strategic steps and goals I wish to take.  In documenting and focusing I will find the direction I need again and emerge victorious when I have realized the goals have been attained.

There are so many moments along our journey in staffing and life where you have to ignite the passion, enthusiasm, message and forward movement necessary to get things done.  In an environment where there will be those who bog themselves down in the mire of negativity one cannot take part or parcel to such blatantly backward leading directions.  So as this year winds down and resolutions come to the forefront of our phsyche - it begs the question - HOW CAN YOU REACH YOUR GOALS - 1 year, 3 Years, 5-10 Years out.  What WILL IT TAKE?  In facing this dilemma when you are at your staffing desk and the phone is ringing - manager's are pinging you, and candidates are asking for the feedback - you become very much like an artist painting a view for all to see that makes everything become clear.

The Rascal Flatts - one of my favorite country/rock artists have a song called UNSTOPPABLE.  I play it every time I need a reminder what is at stake, what is needed to overcome.  It is then what is needed is the almost impenetrable determination that nothing nor no one will stop you from meeting your goals - financial, professional or otherwise.

As 2013 stares right at us - realistic questions and thoughts about the future beckon us to take some quiet time and write down the goals, measure the challenges, and take stock of what the most pressing concerns are.  For me at this time it is work/life balance and the enormous pressure to make an impact and do enough to succeed as a new comer in a new role.

It is very much like the candidate experience - we are all hired to do a job, but I think of the challenges candidates face in getting up to speed and striving to succeed.  What we need now more than ever is to be Unstoppable, having the utmost zeal to try to see through our strengths and outcomes.  When faced with what might seem an insurmountable mountain, that is when one must dig so deep as to find a vision of previous success and then envision the future success.

When so many might tell you about your mistakes, EPIC RESILIENCY demands a rehearsal of past success and visioning that in your mind's eye until you yourself are convinced that come what may you are going to reach your goal, fill the tough roles, or impact your environment in a positive and delightful way.

We see the challenges now more than ever - economic, macro uncertainty, discouragement, disillusionment, et al.  What is our responsibility is to one step at a time build a sure foundation that nothing can cause to buckle under what ever pressure is coming from the top down or bottom up.  Either way, this is a test of the aptitude and fortitude to see a project through or even the most difficult search to some kind of closure.

The miracle is as I type this this evening is that I have no agenda save one - to meet my own personal goals, and to push forward faithfully and with full focus to that end.

It just seems natural to push forward with a happy and cheerful heart and countenance.  So many times I see others with a determination to get to the goal yet give up when the trials start to come.  My how Epic Resilience seems to be the main lynchpin to the whole staffing puzzle.  This and direct follow-up.

Nothing satisfies more than reaching one's zenith once the toughest requirements have borne fruit.  I intend to close out the 2012 season with hires, and to ring in 2013 with new January start dates for even my toughest requirements.

There is just something about old fashioned Epic Resiliance to give a recruiting professional a nice broad smile as he crosses off another Dry Erase board requirement - time to make what worked so well in the past a best practice that firmly meets determination to professionalism and ensures fills carry onward to a staffing project sign off of -

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED