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Change is Normal
By Marsha Lindquist
Are you waiting for things to get back to normal? Some people insist that if normal and good old days were so good, they would still be here. But let’s be reasonable, changes happen and often for the better. THAT is normal. We can be sure of a few things in our future and that is that exciting changes in our personal and business lives will continue, particularly as we get more experienced and as the world around us changes at internet pace. As we shuffle about at a quicker pace and satisfy our hungry need for instant everything, we can look forward to accelerated changes in our business structure, technology and products.
The world is filled with risks, changes and opportunities. Everything we do is at a fast pace - fast food, fast track, fast internet, fast transportation. We have more stress because we are expected to do everything faster and more efficiently than we ever did…many times with fewer resources. How we react to the forces that change our world depends on how we view the world, or in simpler terms, our attitude.
Our view or attitude tells us how happy we are with our lives. When you look at the things that you do fast, do you get a positive or negative feeling about them? What happens when someone imposes change on you or when “life happens”? Odds are you aren’t feeling positive about it. When we have control over the changes, we often see them differently. What would happen if we took that same attitude that happens when we are in control of the change and try to apply it to the times when we aren’t? Likely we’d feel more positive. Change is a part of life for everyone and everything. Seasons change, people change, emotions change, and businesses change.
Companies will continue to change dramatically. Headlines will still be filled with merging, downsizing, and restructuring. Why is all of this happening? Mostly because companies are fighting to regain or maintain strength in a rapidly changing, unforgiving, globally competitive environment. How do you thrive? The secret is to take the changes that are surrounding you in your markets and businesses to make yourself more valuable than ever to your company.
So let's try to focus on changing our view to meet our environment. I’m not suggesting that everything at your job will always be enjoyable to you. But, you can change your mind set. It will not be easy. It requires you to move past the people who would rather complain.We’re often told to view change as an opportunity rather than a problem but most of us deeply dislike being forced to deal with change. The reasons for this are simply logical and emotional – fear of the unknown, fear of the potential loss of something as a result, and fear of failure is always a possibility. It’s normal to feel uncomfortable with change. Wouldn’t you wonder about yourself, or anyone else, if you enjoyed having your life abruptly and surprisingly overturned?
About the Aurthor
Marsha Lindquist is a successful business strategist, author and speaker. As CEO of The Management Link, Inc., Marsha has over 20 years experience as a business consultant who works with her clients to transform their organization through her Value Advantage formula. She has enhanced communication, facilitated change management, and improved overall strategies with companies including BP Amoco, Fleishman Hillard International Comm., and Northrop Grumman. For more information on her speaking and consulting work, please visit: www.MarshaLindquist.com or email her: Marsha@TheManagementLink.com.
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