What is the opposite of growth? Some would say it is “status quo,” but that’s not true. The opposite of growth is death: Whether in your personal life or work life, if you’re not growing you’re dying.
The business organism must grow to
survive. Even if we could miraculously
hold everything steady – costs, margins, productivity – our value proposition
immediately degenerates due to the unyielding forces in a competitive
marketplace.
What is the miracle that stimulates
growth? It’s called change. Change is the sharp stick that moves us out
of our comfort zones, and forces us, as George Lucas would say, “to do
dangerous and scary things.” Change
creates opportunity for growth. But why
do we resist change so much? Why is it
that when change happens oftentimes our first reaction is to dig in our heels?
Some security executives don’t react this
way. These people consistently find winning strategies during times of
uncertainty. They see change not as a
threat, but as an opportunity, not full of peril, but full of possibility. These people avail themselves of change,
taking advantage of new opportunities that emerge in evolving times. And they
do this by asking better questions of themselves.
Instead of asking defeating questions that
start with negativity, such as, “Why is this happening to me?” they ask
empowering questions like, “What positive things can I do?” Instead of asking, “Why change the status
quo?” they ask, “What’s right about this change?” Instead of asking, “What has been lost?” they
ask, “What’s been gained?” Instead of
asking, “What will this change do to me?” they ask, “What can I do with this
change?”
Asking yourself constructive questions
allows you to overcome the following four barriers of change:
Barrier #1: Fear
New things threaten both old practices and tightly held beliefs. When we feel threatened, we feel fear, which affects us both physically and emotionally. And, if we perceive the change as personally targeted, our sense of fear magnifies. Peter Senge said, “People don’t resist change. They resist being changed.” Once we feel the “victim” of change our perspective becomes narrow and self-centered: that’s why people going through change frequently seem self-absorbed. “This change is all about me.” In this state of mind, our response to change is often irrational.
But fear can be managed. Using reasoning skills, positive self-talk
and other support systems – encouraging friends, supportive family – we can
achieve our goals despite the presence of fear.
Companies manage fear as well. Kodak Company was adrift when their
traditional film products were threatened by the digital age. Kodak had to re-think their entire corporate
purpose or die. They concluded that they
weren’t just a film company as much as a company committed to saving memories. With
this new mindset, organizational fear evaporated and a new energetic focus on
innovation emerged. To confront fear and
overcome the first change barrier, ask yourself:
- Why fear change if it leads to success just around the bend?
- What are my talents, strengths and contributions that survive the change?
- What value can I add? How can I be of service to someone else?
Barrier #2: The “What If” Game
When things
begin to change we waste an enormous amount of time looking back and
reminiscing on the question of “What
if…?” What if I hadn’t made that
terrible career move? What if I had
gotten my degree? What if I invested in
better ventures? What if I had been a
better parent or spouse? The “what if”
game is like a big penalty box, paralyzing players from moving forward and
taking action. To stop playing this
game, fill your mind up with forward-looking, solution-centered questions.
- What positive effect on my life does going back to school deliver?
- What favorable outcome would result by committing more time to an important priority?
- What resources are available to me?
- Where do I go for help? Where can I help out?
Barrier #3: Labels
So you’ve
lost your job and you’re no longer the VP at Widget Inc. Your role has been outsourced. Your corner office is gone. Your secretary is gone, too. You feel defeated by the events the world has
thrown at you. But wait: You’re not your job. You’re not the corner office, or the title on
your business card, or the plaques on the wall.
These are just labels. You were an effective, happy, productive person
before you acquired these accoutrements, and that hasn’t changed. You still have skills and experience that
serve you well. Your labels control you
like a dog tethered to a tree: It’s easy
to confuse your reality with the length of the leash. Let go of the labels and be the chief
security officer of your life. Ask
yourself:
- What are my core competencies and how can they serve someone else?
- Where do I find value in life, and where do I want to spend time?
- How do I enhance my existing talents and be more useful to others?
Barrier #4: Lack of Focus
Change clouds
perceptions like a suddenly shaken snow globe.
It seems that a clear course of action is needed, but swirling information
and too many variables confuse the situation and push resolution just out of
reach. Establishing an action plan is a
great strategy during times of change, but oftentimes, poor execution
hamstrings our best planning. The
problem: not enough focus. Focus means having greater impact on fewer
things. You cannot execute without
focus. Those who survive change know
that to deliver on essential goals; you have to decide to fail on non-crucial
tasks. Ask:
- Where am I going to fail in order to maximize my chances of winning?
- What is imperative? What do I absolutely have to do to succeed?
- What is the very first thing I need to do? When do I need to get it done?
When change happens to you, the questions you ask yourself are as important as the answers you seek. Some folks ask themselves, “What’s to become of me?” Those who are successful ask, “What will I become?’