“If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.”

And then there goes First Republic in the way of Signature Bank and Silicon Valley Bank. It’s felt like we are playing dominoes and hopefully the game is over, but we will see.  The same economic game gets played within our companies with people through reorganizations and layoffs. One domino falls and then all the others start moving until many changes have been made. That is if the company’s succession plan is a good one. What can also happen is someone begins to fail, or quits, and then there isn’t any one who can pick up the dominoes that fall behind them. This is when we all have to chip in, roll up our sleeves and pick up the extra slack. It’s one of the harder times in a company. It’s also one of the harder times for people who have to take on the extra work but may not feel like they are getting any extra reward that is due to them. We have all been there at one time or another. As I look at how companies are now reacting and thinking about staffing and resourcing their organizations, we should all probably get used to this happening more and more, at least for awhile.  We are back to a time where there is a pressure for productivity and efficiency. Not filling open jobs, or at least delaying the fill, is a way to realize that gain and also test the elasticity of the organization. This is why we all need to be sure that we are surrounded by others who are willing to help us when we need the support. And, even more so, we need to be the type of person that others can depend on when they need us.

These can be troubling and anxious times or these can be hopeful and prepared times. We read in Ecclesiastes, which it should be; “If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” Let us be a domino that when pushed is there for others and will not fall alone because we are always ready to reach out in support of those who work around us.

Reference: Ecclesiastes 4:10 (New Living Translation)