Change.

At American Bed and Breakfast Inns we’re about to launch a new service. It was clear a year ago that a change of some sort had to be made because the business wasn’t performing for us as we’d planned. It seemed we had one of two choices, either abandon the project or look for added value. We decided we couldn’t give up……possibly because I’m just stubborn, but I prefer to think there is niche for the service we offer. Being on the threshold of change has had me thinking about the simple concept of change. Many years ago a business consultant said

"If you always do what you always did, you’ll like always get what you always got".

Brilliant huh?! I’ve used it many times facilitating strategic planning sessions for organizations around the country. On one hand, if you’re completely satisfied with the result of your behavior, then by all means always do what you do and enjoy the satisfactory results you always get. If on the other hand………then change may be necessary. Case in point #1: Those who embrace change with a clear purpose and goal. Some dear friends started a business some twenty plus years ago. It was located in a seasonal community and they were not happy with the seasonality of the business for a variety of reasons; too many to go into here. Suffice it to say, a change was needed if they were going to be satisfied with the results of their endeavor. So they went to work to change their own mindset and that of fellow business owners. It took years to do, but with concerted, disciplined efforts, they achieved the change they sought and the results in their business far exceeded their initial expectations. They were the voice of change. In those same years they reviewed every aspect of their daily operations and constantly looked for better and more efficient ways to do the hundreds of daily tasks involved in their work. They refined their operations until the business ran like a fine oiled machine. Again, through their planned disciplined efforts toward change for efficiency, they reaped financial rewards far beyond their expectations. Case in point #2: Those who don’t consider change as an option. I visited with a friend yesterday who was lamenting the woes of an enterprise that has struggled for many years. In fact, by all accounts for the last thirty years the enterprise has largely done the same things they have always done, and has consistently struggled to keep their doors open. I asked what changes they had considered, what plans they had to work toward success. They have determined that it’s an industry wide problem, and that if they can just hold out long enough for their competitors to go out of business, their business will then flourish. They have waited thirty years and are satisfied to simply wait for outside forces to determine their success or continued failure. We all know that change is inevitable. Babies are born. People die. Businesses open. Businesses close. Public officials are elected or defeated. Some would say,

"It is what it is. It’s going to be what it’s going to be"

However, as I think about example after example, it seems managed change makes a bit more sense in those situations where we hold some degree of influence for our destiny. I’m talking about substantive behavior change to what it is we do and how we do it. Not merely a new coat of paint or a new logo. That’s like putting lipstick on a pig. After the effort, you’re still stuck with a pig. I for one have decided to embrace change. There are some elements of life that I find less than satisfying. I’m on a mission to work through a plan for change and am committed to be disciplined sufficiently to work the plan. As a dear friend said to me years ago,

"A man without a plan is planning to fail"

I’m not prepared to fail just yet. Are there change you should consider?