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"To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on
creating oneself endlessly."
Henri Bergson
Being a leader is much like traveling an unknown river. We begin the
journey and we never really know what the river looks like after turning a
bend or what will happen next. We operate under the illusion that life
remains constant, but in reality everything is always changing. From breath
to breath, we exchange so many atoms we change the make-up of our physiology
in a moment. In the course of one year, 98% of all our atoms are exchanged
for new ones we are literally a new person each year. Our lives are an
endless flow of change.
While it may be true that we can't step into the same river twice, once we
step in, we are part of that river's flow. Since birth, we have been swept
up in a raging, constantly changing, never-ending flow of experience. Some
people love the flow of life; others hate it and resist it. But because the
flow of the river is a constant, we have no choice in the matter. We have
to change. It is part of the price of admission to life. Every moment our
atoms are changing...our thoughts are changing...our emotions are
changing...our relationships...our finances...change is endless and
constant. We have no choice in the matter except for one aspect of change
our mastery of our ability to adapt to change.
Always struggling against the flow, we can constantly curse the fact that we
have fallen into this river. Or, we can enjoy the flow; accept it, trust
it, and gently steer our way along as rapids appear, logs pass by and placid
pools arise. We can adapt to it, cooperate with it, and potentially
influence its future direction. However, we cannot control it. Attempts to
do so only lead to frustration and ineffectiveness. True effectiveness
comes from embracing the reality and thrill of the unknown.
| In the course of one year, 98% of all our atoms are exchanged
for new ones we are literally a new person each year.
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The Tao Te Ching captured the essence of Change Mastery: "Whatever is
flexible and flowing will tend to grow; whatever is rigid and blocked will
wither and die." I'm quite certain that Lao Tzu was referring not only to
people and natural systems but to organizational structures, as well. This
concept has become more clear to me over the years as I witness first hand
organizations that are "flowing" and those that are "blocked." However,
getting the flow going on an organizational level is a very challenging
proposition. Individuals can wake up to their potential rapidly;
organizations awaken more slowly. Even though some organizations simply are
rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, others genuinely are re-thinking
the concept of "the ship" altogether.
It is encouraging to see that some organizations are not merely treating
re-engineering as a management guru theory but as an all-encompassing
process from top to bottom. However, a parallel re-engineering process is
required to ensure success: the "re-engineering" of human development
processes. It is crucial to give people the development tools they need.
With them, they will unfold and re-think their true potentialities as they
connect them to a changing organization. Organizations that are looking at
process improvement, re-engineering and quality as a total organizational
and human development system will thrive in change.
David Prosser, Chairman of the fast growing public company RTW, shared with
me how he began to master change by "re-inventing himself." "12 years ago,
I was 60 years old and by all external measures I was very successful. I
was standing outside my lake home in suburban Minneapolis and I happened to
notice my huge home with my big Mercedes parked in front. In a moment, it
dawned on me that despite all this external stuff and success, I wasn¹t
happy. I knew then and there that I needed to transform myself to transform
my life. Over the next few years, I committed myself to personal growth.
My personal work culminated in the realization that I wanted to serve people
by making a difference in the world. This reinvention of myself eventually
led me to found RTW which is committed to transforming the workers'
compensation system in the United States. If you want to change the world,
start by changing yourself -- then go out and change the world."
| Individuals can wake up to their potential rapidly;
organizations awaken more slowly.
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As we have helped leaders to deal more effectively with change from within,
we have observed Five Change Mastery Shifts required to enhance performance:
Change Mastery Shift #1: From Problem Focus to Opportunity Focus.
Effective leaders tend to perceive and to focus on the opportunities
inherent in change.
Change Mastery Shift #2: From Short Term Focus to Long Term Focus.
Effective leaders don¹t lose sight of their long term vision in the midst of
change.
Change Mastery Shift #3: From Circumstance Focus to Purpose Focus.
Effective leaders maintain a clear purpose regardless of immediate
circumstances.
Change Mastery Shift #4: From Control Focus to Adaptability Focus.
Effective leaders understand constant control is not possible but
adaptability allows them and others to flow with change.
Change Mastery Shift #5: From Doubt Focus to Trust Focus. Effective
leaders are more secure in themselves, they possess a sense that they can
handle whatever may come their way.
Managing change is a hot topic today. Leaders, at all levels of the
organization, are being challenged to perform like no other time in business
history. How well do we prepare our talent to be up to the task?
The whole idea of "fittest" needs to be redefined. No longer a measure of physical prowess or power, it needs to be re-thought in terms of survival of the "most aware" or survival of the "most flexible" mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
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