The future of the mortgage industry, as with many others, has never been more uncertain. I always liked the story about the guy looking for his lost car keys in the dark. He heads out of the darkness and begins to look for his keys underneath the street light. His friend approaches him and asks if he thinks he lost his keys under the street light. The man replies, "No, but the light is better here. So, this is where I'm going to look!"
We're uncomfortable with uncertainty. We prefer to know where we're going, and we like the easy answers. But, if we expect to avoid uncertainty in our work, we are in for a rude awakening. I don't think uncertainty is going away anytime soon. Have you heard the expression, "change is the only constant?" Well, I've got another one for you: uncertainty is the only certainty.
The question we need to ask, then, isn't about how to avoid uncertainty, but rather how to deal with it. In my mind, there is only one way to face an uncertain future—by clarifying your values and mission. Instead of taking this uncertain time as an opportunity to become fearful, take it as an opportunity to become more confident.
Now is a time for self-examination. Start asking questions about who your company is and what it stands for. Develop a deeper understanding of your organization values, culture, and character. If there is one thing that uncertainty cannot defeat, it is organizations who are certain about who they are.
David Lykken is 40-year mortgage industry veteran who has been an owner operator in three mortgage banking companies and a software company. As a former business owner/operator, today David loves helping C-Level executives and business owners achieve extraordinary results via consulting, coaching and communications, with the objective of eliminating corporate dysfunction, establishing and communicating a clear corporate strategy while focusing on process improvement and operational efficiencies resulting in increased profitability. David has been a regular contributor on CNBC and Fox Business News and currently hosts a successful weekly radio program, “Lykken on Lending,” that is heard each Monday at noon (Central Standard Time) by thousands of mortgage professionals. He produces a daily one-minute video called “Today’s Mortgage Minute” that appears on hundreds of television, radio and newspaper Web sites across America. He may be reached by phone at (512) 501-2810 or by e-mail at [email protected].
