Change, it’s inevitable, so why fight it?
When I read Charles Darwin’s quote, it made me think about what we do in our business lives. For those of you who are industry veterans, those of you who have been in this business for over 25 years have witnessed the real changes that have taken place and affected our business.
Technology, for example, now allows us to deliver within hours, which was unheard of 20 years ago. I think about the disrupters in our industry. When Bullet Line was the first to offer three-day turn-around, I can distinctly remember telling Bill Rosen, “My friend, you are creating change.” His booth was PACKED. And then, I remember HeadwearUSA coming into the industry with programs like one-piece minimums on blanks, the same price for one as 1,000 pieces, and custom offshore caps delivered in three weeks. That same offering a decade or two earlier would take 180 days. These are but a few of the many change agents who have positively impacted our businesses and who helped shape the way we go to market. They did it by listening to client demands, investing in the resources of people and technology – and acting. They were willing to take risks.
I hear the constant rumblings of issues surrounding change on a daily basis from my consulting clients and some are a bit wary of the implications – but it exists so why not embrace it?
One of the greatest compliments I ever received from a colleague was, “Cliff, every time I see you or read about you, you seem to always be reinventing yourself.” I do make it a point to create change for myself. Why would I wait for things and events to come along to change me? I want to be out in front, thinking, reading, questioning, challenging and adapting to the needs, and changes of my clients and prospects. They are looking for this but it took a mind-shift to make this happen.
Some time back, when I owned my marketing company, a dear friend and mentor expressed how important it was for one (perhaps me) to let go of their ego to bring more fluidity into their life. I took that to heart. Admittedly, my approach to things was often rigid. “This is my business; we’ll do it this way.” While it is important in to have procedures and standards in some aspects of the business, there are other areas where compromise and an “open to the possibilities” approach makes more sense.
Here are a few thoughts that might help you overcome your resistance to change. You may find in doing so, you will open up the floodgates of opportunity by seeing things from a different vantage point.
• It’s not personal; it’s business. Everyone has struggles and challenges. The very obstacles you face in business are all a part if it. You are not alone so don’t take it personally.
• Look for new insights on various areas of concerns. Reach out to others who you trust and whose advice you respect. Create a dialogue, have open discussions and listen intently to others’ viewpoints. Recently I had a open discussion with my good friend, Jeff Franklin, from HeadwearUSA. He is quite a bit younger than me (I’m a jaded 60-year-old), and while I disagreed with him on some of the points he was making, my eyes were certainly opened to a whole new perspective on dealing with the subject.
• Reflect on what you’ve learned. When you ask questions, don’t be too quick to respond. Ingest what you’ve heard, ponder the thought, get clarity, then ask more questions. Take time to reflect on the responses. There may be many nuggets of success within those reflections.
• Think outside and inside the box – Some feel the term is overused yet I believe you do need to look outward and not be confined to what’s inside your box (your perceptions and ideas). That said, there may indeed be things inside your box that make sense – and if you were to meld a few of the things right there in front of you with some new approaches, the possibilities are endless.
A young woman with whom I've been working had been totally resistant to change. Recently she must have had an epiphany as she began a full press process on her marketing efforts. Guess what? She tried some new things, a new marketing piece, a new approach to the conversation, a unique follow-up strategy... and she is now seeing the results of her efforts come to fruition.
• Look down the road. Question your actions – but trust them. You probably have more intuition than you give yourself credit for. Look at your business, the industry and ponder where will it be and what will look like in three, five and 10 years. I promise you it will be different. Will you be prepared?
Change is scary for most everyone. However, you have a choice in how you go about handling the change, and remember change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact depending on the lenses in which you view it, all change can be good.
Embrace change as it comes, but be prepared for it so you’re not forced into it. When you anticipate it and anticipate it, it's easier to adapt to it. You don’t need a big title or multiple degrees to be successful. You need an open mind, a willingness to adapt and the one who is most responsive to change.
Embrace change with open arms; a whole new world filled with opportunities awaits you!
Until next month, continued success!
For more than 30 years, Cliff has been speaking, training and consulting internationally to associations and national business groups on more effective ways to market themselves, their products and services, as well as motivating their personnel. Recognized by PPAI for his creativity, he has won the prestigious PPAI Pyramid award 25 times, and the Printing Industry's PSDA’s Peak Award for creativity five times in three years. He has also received PPAI's Ambassador Speaker of the Year Award six consecutive years and was the inaugural recipient of PPAI's Distinguished Service Award. Named one of top six industry speakers and trainers, he also was recognized by PPAI in the book, "PPAI at 100," as having a significant influence in education. He has also been recognized by Counselor Magazine as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in the Promotional Products Industry. You can engage with Cliff athttp://www.myengagepage5.com/cliff-quicksell-1associates.