The Attitude of Change

I'm not going to post every day on my blog, but I thought it was important to post today as something really hit home with me.

"Why do we have to change?" 

I'm in the process of changing companies.  It's not that I wanted to leave my old company, I was left with no choice because they are closing their doors.  It was a change that I was forced to make.  Along with myself, 17,000 other employees over the past 6 months have been forced to make a similar change in their lives.  To say the least, it hasn't come easy.

A few years ago, my team at the time was having some difficulty understanding some of the changes that the company was making.  I could see they were struggling to understand the new direction that the company was taking.  Some of them were even digging their heels in staying they just wanted to do it the way that we have always done it.  "Why do we have to change?"  The following week during our weekly meeting, I sat down with them and I shared this quote with them:

We have have to learn to embrace it and move forward or be left behind.

The truth is, change is inevitable.  We are going to face it all throughout our life.  We cannot avoid it!  We cannot go around it!  We have have to learn to embrace it and move forward or be left behind.  The reality is, that in our fast paced culture, change is happening more and more and we have to learn to adapt to all the changes that are happening.  We have to learn to be more flexible.

It all comes down to our attitude.  What we choose during change will determine how well the change happens.  There are really two options:

1. We can reject the change
2. We can embrace the change

Accepting change is often one of the most difficult things that we do.

If we choose to reject the change, not only do we make it harder on ourselves, but we also make it harder on those around us.  We especially make it harder for those that are initiating the change.  The real struggle begins when those in authority over us are the ones making the change and we refuse to assist in that change.  It truly puts our leaders in an awkward position that no one really wants to be in.

The second option isn't necessarily the easiest option.  Accepting change is often one of the most difficult things that we do.  Many of us are creatures of habits and when you mess with our routines we are not very happy about it.  But the truth is, that when you embrace change, it not only propels you to a new level, you take others with you and things happen that never have happened before.

That is what will take you to the next level.

The very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting a different result.  So if you want to see better sales, more engaged staff or a more efficient process, then you are going to have to change the way you do things.  You are going to have to evaluate what you do and see if there is a better way of doing it.  That is what will take you to the next level.

I am grateful for my team that was able to adjust their thinking and open their minds to a new way of doing things.  Because of it, we experienced a new level of sales growth in our store that we had never seen before.  We also saw customers that were much happier because of the changes being made.  As a result of that, our associates were equally thrilled about the changes once they also adapted to the new way of doing things.  

I am looking forward to the change ahead.

So as I look towards this new opportunity, I choose to let go of what is behind me and reach towards what lies ahead.  I am embracing the change of companies with an expectancy of greater things in store and being thankful for what once was.  Equally, I hope that the other employees that worked with me at my old company embrace their new opportunities with the expectancy of something great in store for them.  I am looking forward to the change ahead.