“A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.” -William Arthur Ward
Over the past 25 years of providing Psychotherapy, my chief mission has been to free people from unconscious ruts that control their lives. This isn't easy. People rarely see how they have boxed themselves into a view of themselves and the world that limits their perspective, beliefs and actions. 
When a person is in a rut, they limit their own movement, growth, vision and freedom to act. They see the world in a fixed way, and try to convince everyone around them of their "rut trapped" perspective. Their perspective on life unveils consistent themes, describing their own personal rut repeatedly acted out.
A person who is not stuck in a rut flows like a river, emanating wisdom, humor, and humility. They may have a long list of things that haven't worked out, but have no regrets for their efforts.
When things are going well, economically, emotionally etc., it is easier to ignore the ruts that would otherwise bind us. However, in these difficult times, ruts are bound to surface. Even the most fluid people can be temporarily thrown into a rut in these extreme circumstances, simply because life isn't familiar or secure.
Losing a job, a home, and plans for the future can certainly appear as an insurmountable rut. "River people" however, don't allow themselves to get stuck there. They manage to continually pull themselves up and out of the rut, dust themselves off, and move on with life. I feel fortunate to know many river people.
As leaders, you owe it to yourself and those you coach to help free them from their ruts…even those who your letting go. Help them find hope and envision the opportunities that can unfold as a result of this economic period. Help them realize their freedom and potential to pursue a new river in the form of new ideas, new innovations, new training, new commitments, new values, and perhaps even an entirely new direction.
You will find that everyone within an organization benefits once the individual tributaries find their "flow", and can contribute their full potential once again.
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