There’s a saying, The only constant is change, but change can be tricky because regardless of the need, most people don’t like the idea of change. Thus if you are looking to make some shifts in your business, it may not be as easy as you think because everyone won’t be on board.
The funny thing about change is that most of us go along for 365 days of year without ever thinking about it and then all of a sudden at one time of the year we all decide that we need to change, collectively. The changing over from one year to the next seems to be the opportune time to make a shift, e.g. do something different. But my question is what’s the difference between the last day of the end of the year and the first day of the next year? Nothing. Therefore, change should be incorporated when it’s obvious that it needs to occur, which may come in the form of new leadership, management, ongoing challenges, untapped potential and the like.
Before you embark on change in your organization, I’d like you to keep a few key components in mind:
1. Awareness – A big part of change is awareness. What needs to change? What’s not working or could be working better? Why are we incorporating change? How or why are we in the current situation? Assessments are great tools that help you get a good indication of where you are and where things stand. At The Business Practitioner, we like to start businesses out with the BizMI. For individuals, there are a host of personality, career, and other assessments that can be utilized to help understand your staff’s leadership styles, personalities and things to support their roles, responsibilities and relationships within your organization. Assessments are like putting a mirror to your business or team to get a pulse of what you are working with. Awareness is a necessity and a first step to change.
2. Readiness – There is no way to have a conversation about change without having a conversation about readiness. Regardless of how much you think, say or pretend you want to change, it doesn’t happen until you and or your organization is ready. And for some, that may take some time. When embarking on the idea of change, make sure you have the key readiness characteristics in place:
- Desire – You have to want to change.
- Discipline – It’s easy to waffle back and forth but you have to have the discipline to make change stick.
- Commitment – Is the dedication there?
- Energy – It takes effort to change and some businesses and individuals may not have the internal resources to commit.
- Endurance – Change is not a quick fix so you have to be able and willing to endure the challenges and the length of time it might take to accomplish your goals.
3. Expectations – You can’t manage change unless you manage your expectations of change. Change is about a different way of thinking and doing and often it takes some time for change to catch on. That means you have to build in the patience and fortitude and know that in time you will see the results that you want.
Here’s a scene from one of my favorite characters (Ephram Brown) on one of my favorite shows (Everwood) discussing change. Can you relate?
Biz Practitioner
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