Change is Inevitable

"You can go amazing places when you quit stepping on the brakes."
Dr. Larry Iverson

"Oh the places you'll go..."  Dr. Seuss

Change is inevitable.

With technology growth, demographic shifts, political turmoil, and business evolution, "the way things used to be" and "we've always done it that way" just doesn't cut it anymore.

The challenge, then, is to figure out how to deal with change.  It is too easy to simply say you must embrace change, because not all change is good change.  Think of leisure suits.

The challenge is to figure out which changes are good for your organization; which changes will help you soar to new heights  Then embrace THOSE changes.

I know of no perfect way to identify which are the good choices.  Even Apple didn't have an iPad with every product release.

But once you decide to embrace a change, you need to commit to it.  Embrace it with gusto!  Push forward with it.  No two-footed driving with one foot on the brakes and one foot on the gas.  Once you decide on pursuing a change do it with courage and conviction.  Floor it!

As Drs. Iverson and Seuss suggest above, you can go to some pretty amazing places!

Happy New Month!

"Happy New Month!"

In my family, we have a ritual in which we try to be the first to wish each other Happy New Month.  The tradition is so strong that those who dare to marry into the family are quickly usurped into the ritual.  The funny thing is that there is no prize, no keeping of a tally, no punishment or hazing is brought onto the losers.  It is simply a monthly inter-family burst of friendly competitiveness that is forgotten on the 2nd of every month.  The joy is in the execution of the tradition, win or lose.

There is a value in tradition and ritual in families and in organizations.  Participating in traditions and rituals are one of the ways we feel a part of the group.  They are also ways to pass on organizational values and beliefs and to make the group, whether its a family or a company, a unique and special group.

But traditions and rituals can have a dark side.  From an organizational standpoint, traditions can stand in the way of change and progress.  Any one who has tried to enact significant change in an organization quickly learns about the traditions or sacred cows that can't be touched.

"We've always done it that way!" or "We've NEVER done that before!" are telltale signs that your organization has tradition-itis.  The same qualities that make for a charming and endearing tradition when they are a simple ritual like providing employees a cupcake on their birthday or trying to wish your sister "Happy New Month" before she wishes you the same, can be maddening if you are trying to go against the grain of a tradition and enact some change.

Organizations, it turns out, crave structure and organizations.  Structure and organization are perfect breeding grounds for traditions and rituals.

The best way to break through traditions that have become roadblocks is by getting buy-in for the change by the same people who are practicing the traditions.  Through information and conversation, it is possible to get past people's strongly held beliefs and traditions.  While that is much easier to type than it is to do, it is possible to enact change and who knows, maybe even create some new traditions!

In the meantime, Happy New Month!  And if any of my family are reading this, I got you this month!

A Small Group of Thoughtful, Committed Citizens

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
                                                                  ― Margaret Mead

I want to tell you about a small group of incredible people.  They are on the verge of doing something quite remarkable.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I know some of this group quite well.  Some of them are long time friends. One of those long time friends is my wife.  Regardless, what this handful of people have done over the last 7 years is truly special.

About seven years ago or so, a group of friends started talking about their love of the natural areas around where they lived.  Quickly, the thoughts of this group of conservationists, scientists, community activists and citizens coalesced around the idea of trying to get a national wildlife refuge dedicated in the area that they love.  They called it Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge, the native american word for the tamarack trees that grew in the area.  The small group became larger as they started talking with people and sharing the dream.  Then the group began to work their real magic. 

What they did then was talk about their dream.  They talked to everyone and anyone who they could.  Altogether, I would not be surprised if this group gave over 1000 speeches to garden clubs and conservation groups, to municipalities and to Rotary clubs.  They went pretty much anywhere and everywhere they had a few people who were interested in hearing their story.

And as often happens when you tell a heartfelt story with honesty and candor, people began to listen.  And to sign on as supporters.  They talked to local, state and federal politicians.  They talked to US Fish & Wildlife and found them willing to study the area.  Now they are on the verge of having a national wildlife refuge in their back yards.

Whether it is trying to protect natural land, launch a new product, or break into a new market, I think Margaret Mead had it right.  Watch out for those small groups of thoughtful, committed citizens.  They can work wonders!

If you are interested in learning more about the proposed Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge, click on this link:   Hackmatack  or US Fish & Wildlife

If you want to show your support for this fantastic project, please click here: Send your support

The Boom and Bust of the Last Buggy Whip Manufacturer

The last buggy whip manufacturer must have done very well for a while.*  Buggy whip purchases undoubtedly declined rapidly with the advent of the automobile.  Nevertheless, there was still a demand for them as some people were reluctant to adapt to the new "iron horses," some people couldn't afford the new transportation option and others couldn't get one because there was no one selling automobiles in their area.

As demand for buggy whips faded, buggy whip manufacturers would go out of business, consolidating the market with fewer and fewer companies.  At some point, there was probably only one company making the whips in a market.  For a while, enjoying 100% market share, things were probably pretty good for that last company.  But since demand continued to decline, eventually business would turn sour for that last company, eventually forcing them to close their doors.

Unless.

Unless that last buggy whip manufacturer looked up from their work long enough to see the dark clouds on the horizon.  Unless that last company invested in the future, figuring out how they could leverage their expertise into something new.  Perhaps manufacturing items for Mr. Ford's assembly line.  Perhaps getting out of transportation altogether and finding a niche somewhere else.

Things haven't really changed that much in the last 120 years.  We have a lot of buggy whip manufacturers these days.  Some are thinking things are OK because market share keep going up, not even realizing they are the last one of their kind around.  Others are innovating and changing their future.  We live in times of rapid change.  Just about the only thing you can be sure of these days is that sooner or later, you will be working for a buggy whip manufacturer.  Be prepared.


*All buggy whip-related statements are pure conjecture on the part of the author.  No research on the rise or fall of the buggy whip industry was conducted.  If a reader HAS done such research and finds my conjecture lacking, I ask them to please explain my oversights and shortcomings in the comments.  Please also explain why you are doing research into the rise and fall of the buggy whip industry.