I was once asked what the most difficult part about being a coach is. After a few minutes, my answer came crashing in like a tidal wave.
“That 1 client… There’s always that 1 client that is resistant to change. It’s torture!”
It’s like watching a scary movie in which the character is being chased by a villain. Instead of focusing on running, the character has to look back to see the villain, trips and falls to the ground.
Meanwhile, you’re screaming at the TV screen RUN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!? RUN!!!
The character is so used to looking backward that they are willing to put their lives in danger or worse, just so they don’t have to look forward. Many people view change in this fashion.
Studies show that organizational change is often met with challenges and resistance. Some would rather look backward, even at their own expense, while others yell to keep moving forward.
Being flexible and adaptable is wise and practical because we know that change is inevitable.
So why not prepare for change with ease?
In this article, you will learn:
How to understand and interpret change in your personal and professional life
How to re-shape the way you see yourself, others, and the world to embrace change
How to think in better ways about the possibilities that come from change
Let’s get started.
Between coaching and consulting, I focus heavily on the personalized and organizational development of knowledge and skills to improve professional practices. In other words, I focus on systems encouraging continuous improvement rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.
Point #1 – “…but I am comfortable with the way things are.”
No doubt, the way things are at this moment may be nice, but for how long?
Think about your most comfortable time of day or night, and imagine if you were stuck in the moment. The sun never went down, and the temperature never changed. Your coffee never cooled down enough for you to drink it. Every day you are stuck on Monday morning at 1030am. You’re hungry, but noon never comes, so neither does lunchtime.
Suddenly, that perfect moment would not be so enjoyable.
Change is a part of our well-being and growth. It is the pillar of our day-to-day existence. We would never experience happiness without it. We wouldn’t exist without it. Someone had to retire, get promoted, or quit for a specific position to become available. Someone had to start a business in the first place to hire.
As business owners, we may want this perfect moment to carry on, but the fact is that this moment will not and cannot stay the same.
To resist means we are planning on not having a business at all in the near future. When things do change, we can interpret the change. You can ask questions like:
Why is the change happening for me?
What else is affected by this change?
What can I implement to get ahead of this change?
Examples:
We cannot control whether/when paper files must be submitted electronically, but we can control how we adapt to electronic filing.
During COVID-19, many church gatherings were banned from indoor service. Even Jesus taught outside. We can change our physical location, even outside the church walls and 6ft apart.
Technical issues are measurable. Duplicate tickets are a focus area for improvement.
Point #2 – Resistance to change is resistance to ease.
Changes in cultures, competition, and technology around the globe are forcing organizations to clarify their values, develop new strategies, and learn new ways of operating. We cannot change that change itself is constant and inevitable. But we can change our attitude and actions.
As a coach and consultant, my job is to introduce the possibilities that come with change.
I value moving forward rather than looking backward.
I like the idea that we don’t have to suffer the same difficulties today as we did yesterday. We can actively improve and enhance our processes.
Ultimately, it is your choice how you treat the changes in your life and business. You can actively observe or wait for sudden and abrupt impact. Actively observing your business processes with a call to action will help reduce the impact and resistance. This can include conducting an internal audit, hiring a consultant to identify potential problems with plausible solutions, or educating yourself on different methods and strategies.
Point #3 - The Power of Purposeful Change
Successful change requires systematic steps, each requiring careful consideration and execution. I want to highlight the importance of the business owner’s role in understanding and articulating the need for change. Success requires an understanding of how change occurs and what changes are necessary.
How will you start noticing and recording the daily changes in your life and your business?
Will you start journaling?
Do you have a system in your business tracking changes for you?
Once you start recording, what will you tell yourself about the changes?
Are these changes within your control?
Is there any resistance to moving forward?
Finally, how will you choose to navigate change?
Will you hire a coach or consultant?
Will you start a focus group?
Will you do a deep dive into your spiritual connection to your physical journey?
To embrace change with ease:
Interpret the changes in your personal and professional life.
Re-shape the way you see yourself, others, and the world.
Think in better ways (strategize) about the possibilities that come from change.
ความคิดเห็น