Embracing Change

Change They Say Is Inevitable. Change comes in many forms to us. It may come forcefully like a tidal wave, or creep along incrementally like a glacier. It may also come in the form of devastating tragedy, difficult choices, broken relationships, or even new opportunities.

It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change. --Charles Darwin.

Change is one of the most difficult things for people to face. However, change is inevitable; people change, time change, jobs change, conditions change and even seasons. However change is often difficult, many times it is for the best. Accomplishing anything great in life requires significant change that pushes us beyond our comfort zones.

Human being is designed to need change. But many people fight it; two reasons people fight change is because they find their present position in in life comfortable, some are scared of going lower than the present stage of theirs. They get used to their friends, staff who work for them, job or the place they live. Though it’s not perfect, they accept it simply because it’s familiar. However, when we are not willing to change, we get stuck in life; not stretching, developing or moving forward and not using the potential we have on the inside. Most times the change we fight is meant to push us into a new level.

Change is an act or process through which something becomes different; this comes in different dimensions and ways. Change occurs in business industries, to religion doctrine, culture, life, organization etc. and this can be embraced positively or accepted negatively. An important fact about change is; “everyone experience it”. This is because when it fully comes, it becomes an inevitable phenomenon either to a general community or to an individual.

Positive embracement of change is being optimistic about the evolving difference in things or situations, believing they are for benefit. The positive embrace of change most times serves as an eye opener to it benefits. People who fully embrace change before others gains it benefits and become the rave of the moment of the change.

On the other hand, accepting change negatively makes you see change as setback, punishment, unfavourable situation, disappointment, failure etc. it makes you see nothing beneficial from it, so you may not benefit from it.

At times, the only way to improve our lives is to force ourselves to embrace the discomfort that comes with undergoing change. It may mean breaking up and leaving a stale – but comfortable – relationship, leaving a mediocre – but stable – job, moving away from a nice – but uninspiring – location, or anything else that’s holding us back from accomplishing our dreams. Of course, dealing with uninvited change in our lives is often difficult and painful. In most cases, instigating major, but necessary, change in our life can be very painful. Whatever change you’re dealing with, note that how you cope with that change will have an impact on your future. ­

Change in business comes in various ways and the way an entrepreneur receives it will determine the fate of his/her business. It is not enough to positively embrace change in business but to be prepared for it. Most business changes ever seen are disruptive in nature; it stampedes the usual way of business, leaving entrepreneur or management to confronting the challenge of disruptive change. This is usually the scary time for manager as it dependent on the future of the business or firm. To meet the challenge of disruptive change in any business, manager must quit the old and familiar way of doing things, try, embrace the new and sometimes difficult process , one that is more fitting for the summons of major upheaval: assessing the capabilities embedded in the organization itself -in the its resources, processes and values. Only when these capacities are recognized will organization know if – and how – they can trump disruptive change.

Jack Welch is a perfect example of manager who was sensitive to change which seems disruptive and took advantage of it. Jack Welch was considered by many of his peers and colleagues as one of the greatest Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of all time, Jack Welch has attained legendary status in the business world through is positive manner of embracing change. During his more than 20 years of managing company, as CEO and later as Chairman of General Electric, Welch's most notable achievement was increasing the market value of the firm. Welch increased it from approximately $12 billion when he took over, to a colossal $505 at the time of his retirement announcement, making GE the world's second largest company with a market capitalization that was only exceeded by Microsoft. This time was when majority of corporations in America were struggling to survive and many CEOs were not ready to let go the old ways of management.

Along with Welch's unique, effective, revolutionary and sometimes brutal management style, a number of profitable strategic acquisitions under his leadership helped GE climb to the summit of the business world, with 10% for many consecutive quarters. The most lucrative of Welch's acquisitions was the $6.4 billion paid for Radio Corporation of America (RCA), which owned NBC television. Acquisitions of RCA was one of the most rear managerial decision of that time, this was due to the conservative management principle and decision used by managers then.

The success story of GE under the energetic, change oriented and visionary leadership of Jack Welch, however, is a complex narrative of managerial innovation and prescient strategic moves, which not only included the acquisition of companies, but also the selling of troubled firms owned by the enormous conglomerate, and the ruthless termination of managers who did not produce.

The major secret of Welch’s success was his embrace of change in all areas of GE, business, and management. Welch insists that his managers, from senior level on down, "embrace change." Everything is constantly changing, says Welch – market conditions, the business environment, consumer spending habits, advances in technology, new products, competitors who may be gaining on you. CEOs, the senior management team, middle and junior managers and individual employees must be open to reinventing themselves, and everything they do. This is the only way to keep up with all the several factors which constantly impact a business, the way it operates and it bottom line.

It is very important to emphasis that part of growing up requires you to accept that change. Since we cannot escape change in anything we do, why don’t we enjoy it and take the most of it. To embrace change, you must also understand that nothing is permanent. Before the time comes for you to accept change, learn that it is necessary for old things to go and new things to come.

 Furthermore, you must prioritize what is really important. Sometimes people get disappointed over any small change, but some things are more important than others, realize that. Also, you must try to forget about the change. Sometimes all you need to accept in a change is to forget it. Try pampering yourself, have a hot bath, play some games, do some meditating, anything to keep your mind off what you changed or has changed. Try to remember that there is a reason for that change. Change is not for no reason. Finally, get use to the new thing; ideas, concepts, relationship, etc. try to get use to the new thing you acquired to replace the old. You might find out you like it more.

Today, I encourage you to be open to the change (the new things, ideas, concepts; relationship and even government) that you may experience in business, life, career, education etc. always remember that just because everything thing is fine now, does not mean you can just sit back and not strive to make it better.

Get ready, keep your heart focused, embrace change and see how glorious the future will be!