Taking stock of Florida’s resources

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to sit in on the meeting of Workforce Florida’s Strategy Council. The council is made up of public and private stakeholders throughout the state, and is charged with determining and driving Florida’s mission to create a world-class talent base.

 Sena Black, senior vice president of marketing at Enterprise Florida, gave a phenomenal overview of The Roadmap to Florida’s Future. Sena was followed by Tony Carvajal of the Florida Chamber, whose message reinforced the need to, as Sena put it, look not just in the rear view mirror but also through the windshield.

One of the greatest challenges we face is trying to predict and prepare for the future in such a dynamic world. When the ground beneath us is shaking, forging a path to strength and stability may seem overwhelming. The headlines that have been rocking our world for the past few months could make it easy to duck and cover, or just run for the hills.

 Which is why I was inspired by not only the leadership being put forth by Workforce Florida, Enterprise Florida and the Florida Chamber in addressing how we can move forward, but also by the optimism and buy-in from the rest of the stakeholders at the table that morning in undertaking a genuine effort to move Florida forward.

 It’s something to keep in mind; the next best thing to a crystal ball is willpower—and that’s one resource Florida can count as a surplus.