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How would you like to predict the future—with the confidence, assurance and knowledge that you'd be right? Believe it or not, you and I have the ability to do just that. And, we need not even be a prognosticator, soothsayer or fortune teller! How? Well, it's really quite easy. Because there is something that's going to happen daily. Guaranteed. And when it does, it will be relentless. It will be rapid. It will be revolutionary. And, it will be reality. It is truly the only thing that you and I can be certain of. What is it? It’s uncertainty or change! But as David Thomas, Dean of Cornell Business School once said, "The number one characteristic of students who later became company leaders is the ability to withstand uncertainty." Have you experienced incredible change, especially recently in your life, either professional or personal? I thought so. Get used to it. Because it won’t stop. Yogi Berra, that wise business philosopher once exclaimed, "The future ain't what it used to be!" Despite the absurdity of Yogi's thought process, he's right Just think of some of the changes that we've witnessed in recent years; the fall of the Berlin wall, the democratization of Eastern Europe, the demise of the cold war, the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union—Northwestern in a Rose Bowl! Change: The Only Constant! For the remainder of the 20th century and well into the new millennium, change will be the only constant. For example, with genetic animal husbandry we can look forward to hogs that will produce low-cholesterol pork and cows that will deliver milk with pharmaceutical properties—such as insulin—already in place. And if you crave a fast-food burger and fries what do you think will serve it to you? That's right, a robot! Change is assured. Especially in three areas; computerization, communication and miniaturization. Over the past 18 years computer power has increased over 10,000 times. Between now and the year 2000, computer power is expected to increase another 30,000 plus times. In 1946, ENIAC, the world’s first large-scale multi-purpose computer filled 1,800 square feet and stuffed inside it were 17,468 vacuum tubes. In 1974, as a University of Illinois freshman, my physics teacher, Steve Selbrede, predicted, "A computer that could fill this massive lecture hall...will one day fit in the palm of your hand and be more powerful!" He was right! Change...in technology, life and business is a daily constant. There appears to be only one thing that's speculative: whether you and I will have the ability to adapt to the changes within our marketplace and world. Perry W. Buffington, Ph.D., Professor of Management at Georgia Southern University once said, "The idea of change is one of the few constants in daily living. How we cope with it can spell the difference between successful—and unsuccessful results!" Now if you're like most people, change doesn't thrill you. It may even scare you. That's okay. That's typical. But it’s not change that really frightens us. Instead, it's the uncertainty, the difficulty, the trauma that accompanies the change. For many, their mindset is fixated on doubt and skepticism. They embrace life, personal and professional with a Wizard of Oz philosophy. No heart. No brain. No courage. Forget about the yellow brick road, this is a guaranteed road to ruin! Remember, that if you always do, what you have always done...you'll always get, what you've always got—or less! Therefore, if you want, need or demand more from your life, business, staff, customers, clients or prospects, you may have to change. The old way may no longer be appropriate or even work. Your past achievements may not be an accurate measurement of your future performance or future successes. Your past assures nothing. It is simply an influencer, not a guarantor. You must not allow your past to block your vision or mission for the future. Clinging to the old way for too long, just because "it has always been done that way," may thwart the implementation of new ideas, opportunities and solutions. As an astute seminar participant once told me, "If you keep doing the same thing over and over, but expect different results each time...that's called insanity!" Therefore, you may have to ask yourself a series of questions. Do you choose to innovate? Do you choose to imitate? Or do you choose to vegetate? And if you choose the latter, you might as well do what a client of mine suggests—to simply abdicate! Profit points: 1. You must accept change with the understanding that nothing comes to stay, but only to pass. 2. The most effective way to deal with change...is to change. 3. The best way to minimize the impact of change...is to make the commitment to planning, on-going knowledge and goal setting. 4. Your addiction to the past...sets a trap for your future. You must be willing to bust out of your zone of comfort, security and complacency. |
