Are you familiar with the term “trompe l’oeil”? Neither was I, but my wife who is much more creative and artistic than I clued me in to its meaning. Trompe l’oeil (pronounced trômp ˈloi) is a style of painting that is so realistic it appears to be three-dimensional. It’s how theater and movie set designers create realistic sets and backdrops. Perhaps you have seen it in a more creative way by sidewalk artists that create such realistic 3D renderings that passersby swear they are about to step into deep chasm or drop off a cliff. In French, trompe l’oeil means “fools the eye,” from tromper, “to deceive,” and l’oeil, “the eye.”

I’m dating myself a bit, but there was a one-hit-wonder song in the late 90’s by the band Semisonic called “Closing Time”. It’s one of those really catchy tunes that you occasionally hear on 90’s music stations…anyone 40 or older would instantly recognize it and probably sing along. Anyway, there is a line in the lyric that has always struck me as meaningful…which is ironic since the song is about closing time at a bar and is anything but deep or moving. The evocative line is: “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Think about that – every time something new starts, something else must end.  Whether its career, relationship, business strategy, or culture the “new normal” replaces the “old normal”. In fact, oftentimes, its necessary to end something for something better to start.

The time has come for many businesses to reopen their doors and bring people back to work. However, as you may have already figured out, it’s more complicated than just that.

In Episode 6 of The Skillwork Forum, “Responsibly Reopening America”, Brett and Tim have some practical tips on how to support your team as your organization gets back up and running.

Visit skillwork.com for help in overcoming the skilled labor shortage in America 🛠🇺🇸