LOOK CLOSELY

Economic data has been a mess since the pandemic. Given all the ups and downs of the past several years, the year-over-year numbers are inconsistent and provides little guidance. Surveys are less trustworthy than ever, and things are moving so rapidly that looking backwards is less valuable than it once was. I thought I would use this week’s note to encourage us to take a deeper look into our local numbers, continue to gather ground-level data from the real world, and continue to ask the fundamental questions that force us to solve problems and help people in need.

This article by Gallup’s Jon Clifton gives perspective on the global workforce and asks some great questions that I think we can all repurpose for our work at the local level. In the ideal community, employed workers would be gainfully employed and constantly growing in their positions at healthy organizations. Others would choose to be self-employed or work part-time (not out of necessity or to simply survive), and the unemployed would be fully aware of the jobs and training opportunities available to them in your community. That is NOT the case across the world right now, and it is very likely not the case in your city. Could it be?

Let’s have a great week, lift each other up, and move forward together.