Learning from Change
Change is scary. We all tend to feel more comfortable with things we know. Changing jobs or developing new relationships presents challenges to us all.
Yet change also brings massive opportunity. It is a catalyst to self improvement and personal growth. Without it much of the advances in human history would not have occurred.
The art is to embrace change and the challenges it will inevitably bring and use it to be more successful and to develop.
This means seeing change not as a threat but as a potential for growth and learning: as a positive not a negative event. Indeed often change is necessary to bring about business or personal improvement. Without the "burning bridge" many will not embark on a new course of action. Trying to make a change also develops a deeper understanding of whatever it is we are trying to change - "If you want to understand something, try to change it" - Edgar Schein.
Think of IBM, one of the most consistently successful businesses of the last fifty years. They used to make all kinds of office machines. Forty years ago they focused on mainframes. Then some thirty years later they made Personal Computers (PC's) a mainstay of our lives. Now they focus on providing services For a fascinating account of the challenges making these changes entailed see the book Who Says Elephants Can't Dance by Louis V. Gerstner Jr who was CEO of IBM form 1993 to 2002, a period when the company went through transformational change.
Yet change also brings massive opportunity. It is a catalyst to self improvement and personal growth. Without it much of the advances in human history would not have occurred.
The art is to embrace change and the challenges it will inevitably bring and use it to be more successful and to develop.
This means seeing change not as a threat but as a potential for growth and learning: as a positive not a negative event. Indeed often change is necessary to bring about business or personal improvement. Without the "burning bridge" many will not embark on a new course of action. Trying to make a change also develops a deeper understanding of whatever it is we are trying to change - "If you want to understand something, try to change it" - Edgar Schein.
Think of IBM, one of the most consistently successful businesses of the last fifty years. They used to make all kinds of office machines. Forty years ago they focused on mainframes. Then some thirty years later they made Personal Computers (PC's) a mainstay of our lives. Now they focus on providing services For a fascinating account of the challenges making these changes entailed see the book Who Says Elephants Can't Dance by Louis V. Gerstner Jr who was CEO of IBM form 1993 to 2002, a period when the company went through transformational change.
Other Sources
There is much advice out there on the web about how to be successful in managing change. Here are some examples:
- change management principles, process, tips and change theory
Organizational change management and personal change management process, business development, plans, systems and training - how to manage change, - Change management - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Change management is an approach to shifting/transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations from a current state to a desired future state. - How To Manage Change Text - Acas
Do you manage or lead people through change? 19. Working ... Some tools formanaging change. 29. Appendix 3 ... To manage change effectively you need to: - Managing Change Guide
This highly respected free guide is THE guide for managing change with its new approach to the management of change. An effective change management tool - 7 Essential Skills for Managing Change
8 Dec 2008 – Everyone who wants to be successful – in career, in relationships, in life – must learn how to see and manage change the way that successful - Managing Change: A Strategic Approach to Organisational Dynamics
This is written for students on modules covering management, strategy and organisational change as part of undergraduate and postgraduate.
Personal Examples
From Multinational to Law Firm. I spent my early career as an in house lawyer with large global companies such as Exxon. I responded to an advert in the Times in the early 90's and moved to join a law firm in London. The law was the same but the change was immense. Instead of being one employee among thousands, all with different disciplines and skill sets and nationalities, I was one of a hundred or so English lawyers. I learnt to apply the law in a different environment with new colleagues with different priorities. Above all as a partner I learnt what it means to be the owner and manager of a professional services business.
- Embrace and welcome change.
- Look to learn and grow from change.
- Change can work on a personal or global business level.
