Embracing Change for Success

We avoid it, we fear it and often times we downright hate it. Change is a dirty word in the dictionary for many of us. It turns our lives around, it challenges the status quo and with it our sense of stability too. It drags us out of our comfort zone. But like it or not, change has always been and will always be a part of our lives, private or business.

Especially today, when change really is the only one constant and it takes over so rapidly in certain areas of life and business that it makes your head spin. You can ignore it, you can deny it but it is not going away. That being said, it makes much more sense to embrace it and learn how to get the best out of it.

In today’s fast-changing business environment, technology, customer needs, and tools are constantly evolving. You have two choices: disrupt your industry and drive the change yourself, or stay alert and adapt quickly to external changes.

Either way, change can work for you if you come to terms with the fact that it is there. Once you’ve accepted it, you can build upon that and actually learn how to use it to your own advantage.

Netflix did this nearly 20 years ago, in 1997. At that time, the internet was not yet widespread. It introduced a DVD video subscription rental by mail, which quickly became popular. This shift in preferences forced many companies, including thousands of video stores, to close. Over time, these businesses slowly disappeared. It changed the whole industry by introducing a new distribution channel that people quickly embraced.

All the same, companies that ignore change can be really hurt by it, even if they are leaders in their industry. In fact, it seems to be particularly difficult to embrace change for companies that are successful. This is what happened to Kodak. They invented the digital camera but remained focused on their thriving film business. As a result, they ignored the shift toward digitalization. Their competitors, however, did not follow suit. Kodak was soon left behind and lost its leadership in the industry. It became just one among many companies.

Change can be both a threat and an opportunity. It depends on whether you recognize it and take action. Proactively guiding your business toward the future can help it evolve successfully.

Easier said than done you will say; and I agree. Dealing with change is a daunting task because it is in our nature to not like change. However, change can be a winning move and especially for small businesses which are so much more flexible and easier to manoeuvre. It is much easier to initiate change than to simply react on it feeling threatened. Change can be challenging to embrace right away, so don’t expect to dive in overnight. It takes time to understand and adapt. However, I have a few tips that might help you make the most of it.

Think about possible changes in your business

You are likely comfortable with how you currently do business. This includes your processes, procedures, offerings, and marketing tools. And that is because you are so used to it. You know how it all works. There’s always room for improvement. You might be able to offer something better or add extra value. There could also be a more creative way to reach your customers.

Sit down and brainstorm, and get your colleagues and employees to come up with different ideas. You don’t want to be changing things all the time but you do need to do it sometimes. The problem with being comfortable is that it is very easy to become complacent and the next thing you know, you’re not relevant anymore. Think, read, stay informed about what is happening in your industry, and stir things up now and then. You never know, you might be the one bringing about the next big change in your industry, which of course gives you an edge.

Take small steps

Big goals don’t require big leaps. Take small, manageable steps today to move closer to your dreams while staying ahead of the curve.

If you come up with something new that you think might have potential but is too big, keep in mind that you don’t need to take a huge leap. Anything that is too time or finance-consuming scares you because it is too risky and thus stressful. Think about where you want to get and work backward breaking it down into small steps.  Start with the small changes that you can make today and that will eventually lead you to what you want to achieve. But be proactive, don’t wait for your competitors to disrupt the environment instead when you will inevitably have to deal with it and feel stressed anyway.

Be open and positive

People find it very hard to engage in making change eagerly. The status quo is something we tend to take very personally and defend fearlessly. With that in mind, you should expect your employees to be skeptical of any changes you might want to implement. They will see them as a threat and this is quite normal. However, if you explain your objectives and the reasons behind the need for the changes, people will be much more open to them. If you want to take it one step further, demonstrate excitement and a positive attitude towards the changes you want to make. When people see that you are confident and optimistic, chances are they too will feel positive. Furthermore, once you involve people and get them to come up with ideas themselves, this will improve the work morale and motivation and thus their commitment to making the changes happen.

Don’t be afraid to fail

There’s always a chance that your new idea proves to be not so great and you fail. It is not a nice feeling, but let’s face it: some ideas will fail, these are the facts, and it is simple statistics.  Does that mean you shouldn’t try new things? Of course not! Your idea might fail but it might also launch you into the stars… you never know. So be aware of the possibility that it might not work but if it does it would be great. And keep in mind that even if it doesn’t work, there’s always a valuable lesson that you can take away. Sometimes failures inspire new ideas for things that do work. It is a process and as long as you don’t jump into anything too expensive that would affect your overall business, it is always worth the try. Just remember: small steps.

Yes, change is the one constant and it couldn’t be any more true or obvious than it is in the world we live in today. It took 75 years for 100 million people to adopt the telephone, and it only took several years for Facebook to become the main marketing tool for thousands of businesses, inspiring tens of other social media channels, some of which were just as powerful.  With the Internet today, changes in various industries can almost happen overnight and this is why if you want to stay on top of business, you need to stay on top of change.