If there is anything that life has taught me it’s this,
Change is inevitable. But it’s not actually about the change itself, rather what you do with it that impacts you.
Amid the global Coronoavius pandemic, so many business owners began thinking about how their organizations would need to change to support their employees’ health and safety. That meant altering entire infrastructures and instituting new policies and procedures while still finding a way to press on and adjust to what we are all calling the new normal. This idea really got me thinking about how change operates and functions in our lives, especially in business.
Aren’t some of the most wonderful things that happen in life due to unexpected changes? Some might not think so, but for me, it has proven to be true. I didn’t expect to be sitting here, addressing you all from my home office in North Carolina and yet, it is one of the best changes that could have happened in my life.
I’d like to ask you something about how change has impacted your own life, and more importantly, your business. What moment of change forced you to adapt, alter, and create new solutions that ultimately proved to be instrumental in getting you where you are now?
So much of the time we are resistant to change and the power it brings, but today I wanted to talk about a few things to help business owners embrace the change that is coming and feel empowered and confident as you move through it to find out what you are to become.
Alter your mindset
Not all change is objectively positive, in fact, most change feels really uncomfortable as it is happening. Change can be overwhelming and cause dramatic shifts in the way that you approach business. Maybe a long-time staff member quit or your spouse gets a new job and you have to relocate or you are interested in serving new clientele.
All of these shifts can cause you to experience major growing pains and may force you to reevaluate your entire process, and you know what? That is alright.
By undergoing that change, you have opened yourself up to new opportunities that weren’t there before. You are put in a position to be creative and carve a new path for yourself, your employees, your clients, and your business as a whole. That sounds exciting, doesn’t it?
When you only focus on the negative aspects of change, you cut yourself off from experiencing the positive ones.
Walk-in prepared
I have two conflicting sides. On the one hand, I thrive on preparedness, organization, and efficiency and on the other I crave room for organic creativity, inspiration, and passion. I try to bring both of those sides of myself to the work that I do which is helpful especially as things change.
Working for a small company or owning your own small business, change is basically your middle name. As technology and ideas shift, so too do we in order to keep pace and get ahead of market trends and client needs. In order to be prepared for this state of change, you need a well-designed infrastructure to carry you through these new phases of your business.
Institue processes for yourself and your team that better equip everyone to handle change. For you that may be defining a process for client communication, account leads, marketing efforts, etc. When you are prepared for a shift and you build flexibility into your workflows, you will feel more confident to enact change when it happens.
Make change active
Change isn’t something that is just done to you, rather it is something you can actively pursue to grow and develop your business. Let’s walk through the following questions.
- What changes, big or small, are coming up for you?
- How will those changes impact your staff?
- How will those changes impact your clients?
- In what ways will the changes help you grow, scale, and move toward achieving your business goals?
Sometimes change is inevitable, and other times it is really what is best for you and your business. When you embrace change for the better and seek it out rather than letting it seek you, you will be able to make more intentional decisions to help you and your business grow.
Talk about it…often
So many problems in business (and in the world) are caused by a lack of strong communication. Communication is essential for the success of a business in even the smoothest of times but even more so in times of change.
Be sure to talk with your employees and clients about the changes you are making in order to keep everyone informed and on the same page. You don’t want people second-guessing what to do and why because it will add more stress and complexity to the situation.
I like to create an environment where change is accepted, even encouraged. Ideas and creativity can breathe new life into the creative process which is why it is important for us to embrace it.
But change can be more difficult to talk about in the financial industry. When a client’s money is on the line, conversations about change need to have a plan, strategy, and clarity behind them to make it stick.
Stay calm
Change is always difficult, but by remaining calm you will be better able to come up with a plan to navigate through it. When you are calm and handle the situation with care and grace, people will be more likely to follow suit.
Change will never stop being hard, but we can alter our approach to it for a better outcome. Are you ready to apply some active change to your marketing? Take some time to talk with us.
