What’s the point?

When people hear the phrase “Manage to Change” they often think of something they begrudgingly do because they have to! It’s reactive. It’s often delayed. There isn’t anything fun about it.

Me? I think of it more like surfing. Grab your board (no, I am not a surfer) and catch a wave!

Manage to Change is a positive imperative. On this page it means that we must continually adjust our strategy and objectives to the changing world around us (or we may very well wipe out!). It’s exciting. It’s full of possibilities. It’s something that we do proactively. We try to anticipate change. Maybe we can even create it ourselves!

In order to “Manage to Change” we need to:

  • Be open-minded and inquisitive
  • Look beyond the confines of our daily grind and our professional industry! What’s going on out there? What’s new and exciting? What could we use?
  • Build in time to think, everyday – to consider the possibilities – to come up with off-the-wall ideas and see where they might take us! Do mental jumping jacks!
  • Understand our strengths and weaknesses. Where do we need help?
  • Only AFTER we consider the ludicrous is it time to filter our ideas. Which ones might delight our customers, make us more efficient, or create a new market?

I’m certainly not advocating frivolity (although there’s nothing wrong with that!). I simply believe that it’s too easy to box yourself in to what’s known or what’s comfortable and in doing so you miss out on a lot. Anticipate and capitalize on change.

Experiment (you can still be fiscally responsible!).

What good is it to define a strategy if you can’t manage to change?

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