Embracing Change

It may seem like a contradiction in terms but the one constant in our lives’ today is change. Like it or not, change is something that we all have to face up to if we want to fulfil our potential as individuals and be successful in our professional lives. It can be daunting to have to change an established way of behaving, to put ourselves into situations that are way outside our comfort zone but something that one of my bosses said to me years ago comes to mind. He said, referring to a particularly challenging project… “If it doesn’t give you butterflies, it’s not worth doing”.  I truly do believe in this approach – a little bit of adrenalin gets the blood racing, the nerves tingling as you set out on an unfamiliar path into unknown territory. It is very similar to the adage “nothing ventured, nothing gained” and those who are brave enough to try something new, challenge the status quo, question existing methods of working are most likely to be the ones who succeed and live fulfilling lives.

I’m not recommending that you abandon all your tried and trusted methods all at once! Small but, nevertheless, effective changes can be made – one step at a time. Give yourself time to identify what you want to change and, most importantly, why. Your next step should be to plan how to make the change and when. Having introduced, for example, a new way of marketing to your customers, you must take the time to review and reflect how it is going. Are your customers satisfied with your new approach? Ask them. How do you feel it is working? Be honest with yourself – if you can’t trust yourself who can you trust? If perhaps the outcome isn’t quite what you had expected – don’t beat yourself up but learn from the experience. If, however, you’ve planned the change and gone through the steps outlined above, the odds are in your favour so celebrate your success and plan your next bold move.

“Until you spread your wings, you’ll have no idea how high you can fly” Anon.

Author: Adèle Cooke – Catalyst for Change, Business Doctor, Mentor & Coach