Evolving our structures Part II
In the last blog, I suggested this might be a point in time full of opportunity for us to shift our structures to catch up with how business and life have evolved. Easy peasy mac-and-cheesy, right?
(Everyone who just read that line saw it with hands-as-guns gesturing and some big-eyed winks)
OK – it’s not EASY, but it’s IMPORTANT. The crucial part is committing to the evolution, which means doing things differently, and the hardest part about doing things differently is the constant pull to go back to what’s familiar and comfortable – which are exactly the things that you’re trying to evolve past.
To set yourself up for success here, there are two parts to consider: what you will DO and how you will BE in the process. The first part is usually the easier part, and is most often brought down by the second part, largely because this is the part that is rarely planned for – or even thought of – ahead of a change. So that’s where we’re going to focus our attention.
When we’re in the midst of doing something a new way, there are some pretty common hurdles that tend to show up, and if we plan for them, we’ll be ready to deal with them instead of giving up immediately.
Things don’t go according to plan / your expectations aren’t fulfilled. This is one of the first and fastest ways people start to think they made the wrong choice or went in the wrong direction. However, if we think of deviations from the plan as indicators of what we might want to adjust/change instead of reasons we screwed up, we get the chance to use our learnings.
Other people question or doubt what you’re doing. When you’re doing something new, especially something that is not widely done (such as evolving the way you do business), there are going to be a lot of doubters, or even people who just feel nervous or uncomfortable with change and want to downplay what you’re doing so they can justify staying the same. Remember that many times, people’s thoughts are actually indicators of their own issues as opposed to a clean, clear read on what you’re doing.
Some will decide what you’re up to is not for them. And this is a good thing. Getting clear on what we’re up to and what we’re committed to actually makes it easier for others to determine if they’re on the same page, and it’s important to separate from those who are not on the same page.
And there are probably more! Think back to the last time you decided to change something and what hurdles came up. Did they derail you? Even if they didn’t, maybe they made you struggle. Either way, reflect back on what those hurdles were, assume they will happen again, but this time PLAN for them so that instead of being thrown off (which makes us all vulnerable to the draw of the comfort of our old ways), you can rely on your preparation to deal with those hurdles in ways that support your evolution, instead of tanking it.
Simple words, found in Durango…
