Change is here to stay.....So we better get used to it

One of my boyhood heroes, Bob Dylan, wrote the now immortalised words

"The times they are a changin". This was back in the 60's and of course he was right. 

So change is nothing new, it's just inevitable and we just roll with it.

This article is not about  'how' things are changing or even 'why' things are changing. It's not about how change affects us or how to deal with it.

Today I'm writing about the almost unimaginable 'Pace of change' that we live with everyday in this early part of the 21st Century.

This is something new.

We have dealt with change since the beginning of time, that's nothing new, I mean when I heard that Cadbury were selling this great British institution to the Americans I was inconsolable for weeks!

  

    

I still haven't truly come to terms with this!

In my role as a coach to leaders, individuals and organisations it's a hot topic, not chocolate, the pace of change! In the world of business new roles are being created:

Chief innovation officer

Chief transformation officer

Chief change officer

To name but a few.

3 areas I focus on with organisations and churches in particular are:

Transition

Vision/Strategy alignment

Innovation

It's so vital that we have a good grasp of just how important these topics are and have great processes and workable ideas around how to implement and manage them.

Speak to any CEO and they will tell you, this is what we spend a lot of time talking about. If they are not, then they are already being left behind.

In a recent excellent article in the Harvard Business Review 3 'dimensions' were given as markers for this new era of rapid change:

- It's perpetual. Ongoing and happening all the time.

- It's pervasive. Invading multiple areas of life all at once.

- It's exponential. Increasingly rapid rate of acceleration.

The article goes on to say that 'effective leadership will be defined by the ability to navigate this new reality'. BHR Oct 2020-Aneel Chima/Ron Gutman.

Organisations and businesses are starting to adapt to this new reality but how does it effect us as individuals? Is it something we should be mindful of? Is this rapid ever changing landscape something that we need to also adapt to?

I say yes.

During the latter stages of the pandemic I started to think about this a lot. How should I adapt my connection to the present and my engagement with the future? I decided that at least for now I would think only 3 months ahead. This became a great way for me to stay present and restrict the potential of stress and anxiety developing around future plans. It took a fair amount of discipline but I have to say, for me, was a total life saver.

It enabled me to be vastly more 'in the moment' and kept my mind away from longer term thinking which in the current context was great as things continue to change so fast all of that head space given to future planning would have been wasted. 

For example: Financial planning. My mortgage has tripled very quickly ( thanks Liz ) It would have been pointless planning ahead too much as nothing is relevant now compared to 8 months ago! 

Regardless of the reality of the situation this process and choice helped me to avoid overthinking what 'could be' and focus on what I knew which was the reality of today. It helped, still does.

I am not saying planning ahead is a bad thing, far from it. Also this 3 month plan will not be right for everyone, it was right for me.

The point is I did something to mitigate the potential for a decline in my mental health and general wellbeing. I was proactive and worked something out that was right for me.

Change is here to stay, it's been said before, it's nothing new but the speed of change is something unprecedented and it's important for us all to adapt to this new way of living. It's a hot topic in the boardrooms and new ways of working are being implemented. We would do well to being thinking about how we as individuals can change our thought processes and behaviours to help us manage this rapid pace of change.

My general 'glass half full' approach to life makes me think that there are positives here. 

A change is as good as a rest, being nudged out of our comfort zone usually leads to good things, if we are in a place in life that is frustrating and unfulfilling then hey.....give it 3 months!! : )

If you feel that engaging with a coach would be a great step for you and would like to book a free consultation call with me then just give me a call or drop me an email.

I hope the next 3 months are full of great things and few chunks of dairy milk still help lol.

Tim Chesh