I stayed up way past my bedtime watching the drama of the voting results of the recent presidential election. Watching the percentages of vote totals change for the candidates every few minutes was like watching a high scoring football game.
“Yea! We’re ahead.”
“Uh oh, we’re behind”
Back and forth. Up and down. As the path to victory became clear for one candidate, time seemed to be running out for the other.
The result was surprising. Unexpected. Change was elected. Uncertainty dawned.
I remain humbled and awed that I live in a time, and in a country, where elections and the transfer of power is (relatively) peaceful. (At least no one faces the guillotine) Yet, the uncertainty of a new president is an anxious time. There will be a change in policies and we all want to know how that change will impact our lives.
It has me thinking about change. I resist change. I like my routines and habits. But not liking change doesn’t prevent me from trying to improve. I am in a constant state of creating new habits, some stick easily, some take several months to sink in. One day I wake up with new habits ingrained. Change!
Unfortunately, some habits form without my conscious consent. Too much TV before bedtime, not enough exercise, stinkin’ thinkin. These things seem to sneak up on me. Not the change I want to see in my life.
Events out of our control force change upon us by. Illness, accidents, layoffs, natural disasters force change, sometimes in violent ways. New relationships, new jobs, promotions, even a new pet will impose change on us. Even when the circumstance are happy, it can be quite unsettling.
As a business owner, change can be frightening. You have people depending on your decisions and on how you handle unforeseen circumstances. How you steer your business impacts many people.
When we learn from the changes in life we earn wisdom. When we look back at the twists and turns, we often discover that the changes we feared yielded the outcomes we cherish the most. You survive illness and discover untapped strength within yourself and a support system you didn’t imagine. You rebuild your life after a natural disaster and realize you were holding onto ‘things’ that were holding you back. You make changes in your business to discover new more loyal clients.
When you faced with change, don’t assume the worst. Face change with an optimistic attitude. Remember these words of wisdom:
“By changing nothing, nothing changes.” -Tony Robbins
“All great changes are preceded by chaos.” -Deepak Chopra
“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” –Jim Rohn
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” -Andre Gide
“In a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.” -Warren Buffett
What changes have you been hesitating to implement in your business? What is holding you back? Here are 5 steps you can take to help you usher in change in your business:
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Understand the need for change. You have to examine why change may be necessary. Are you trying to reach more customers? Save on production costs? Do you need to streamline processes? Take the time to examine why you want to make the change.
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Communicate the need for change with people involved – your partners, co-workers, employees, even your family. Listen to their feedback. Explain the decision. Invite their support.
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Plan! Plan! Plan! Create detailed plan with precise steps and timeline. Remember to establish goals and success measurements.
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Implement the plan and evaluate the progress as outlines on your timeline.
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Celebrate your success.
Don’t be afraid of change in your business. Or in your life.
Unless you have a crystal ball, (I don’t), we cannot know with any certainty how the new administration will change our lives or businesses. But we can handle the change with a positive outlook.
