“I haven’t shared this with anyone,” he commented after we were seated for our lunch meeting. “These thoughts could be classified as dangerous, and even more so if I say them out loud. The truth of the matter is that the entire way we do business isn’t going to work in the near future. Most people haven’t figured it out yet, but the context has shifted. New factors and new technology are in play. New players are surfacing which will make our business more complex and dynamic. And the upshot of this new environment is that we are not changing fast enough.
In the near future, we will have a choice. We are OK for now, but soon we will need to shift people, time, and resources to a new model of doing business. This is going to upset a lot of people, but it’s the right thing to do. We are not at the ‘change or die’ place yet, but within a couple of years we could be.
I don’t know what to do, Geery. I just don’t know how to get us from where we are now to where we need to be. I have an idea of the new end point, but when it comes to figuring it all out, I’m lost. That’s the hardest thing to admit to myself, but I’m just not sure how to make it all work. I think I have a new org chart figured out, and some of the new processes and systems we need to put in place, but I also know that just moving people around on an org chart and handing out new assignments isn’t going to make it work. My people won’t own it until they embrace it. I just know we need to make these changes, but I don’t know how to get there. I don’t know how to create a plan to implement this level of change.”
We talked all through lunch and then for an hour after the meal. He shared his frustrations, his challenges, and his vision. At times, it was a collection of just random ideas, but the more we talked, the more he figured out some of the first steps he needed to take.
As we wrapped up our time together, he asked me an important question, “So, where do I go from here? What should I do next?”
“Get it out of your head and put it all down on paper,” I replied. “The act of writing it out will result in clearer thinking, and an outline for action that you can share with others. When dealing with change, be it complex and dynamic, personal or professional, the process of clarifying your thinking is the essential first step to working in a focused and centered manner. The hardest part is to write it out, and to recognize that writing is a valuable part of the process.”
As we stood up to leave the table, he smiled and said, “Thanks. I needed that time to share and think.”
“My pleasure,” I replied. “It’s why we visit.”
In the beginning, we must recognize that all of us have a dream, a vision, or a goal inside of us. And with this dream inside of us, we are constantly seeking ways to make it become our daily reality. The hard part is to clarify it and then activate it. Once we have done this in-depth work, we can then embrace the journey and move on through the world of change. But in the beginning, we need to active the dream before we embrace the journey.
© Geery Howe 2024
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