How Do YOU Handle Change and What Does It Mean for Your Business?

The book "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson and Kenneth Blanchard is a 98-page look at the various ways that we react to change. In the book, there are two mice and two mice-size humans and we see how each reacts when their cheese has been moved -- not just moved, but no longer in sight.

We all react differently to change:

Some readily adapt
Some ignore it and hope that life will return to the status quo
Others actively seek it out

As a person, your success, or failure, depends in part on how well you adapt to change. Do you run screaming like a banshee towards it, ready to conquer? Or do you go sit in a closet, close your eyes and wait for it to go away, hoping that everything will return to normal?

The most successful entrepreneurs not only embrace change, they actively seek it out knowing that greater fulfillment, greater success and greater profits come with constant adaptation to the market.

My personal experience has led me to reengineer my business three times so far (and Im in the process of doing it again) with fabulous results; as I start down one path, things have happened that open my eyes to another path -- one I may not have been ready or able to see previously.

My business is ever-evolving and I wouldn't have it any other way. Stagnant 9-to-5, do the same thing every day work, stay in the same company for 20 years work is not for me...I'd rather have root canal without Novocain.

How about you? Are you a:

Dynamic Dan

Dan actively searches for things to change in order to engineer his perfect life. He runs about shaking trees to see what will fall out and how he can use that information to his advantage.

Opportunistic Oliver

Oliver doesnt particularly love change, but knows to look for the opportunities that abound whenever it occurs. In the corporate world, Oliver is the guy who rises to manager almost overnight and no one knows how or why this happened (he saw an opportunity and JUMPED on it). In the entrepreneurial world, Oliver sells dry wood and hot meals from a cart he pulls through the campground on an unexpected rainy day. He looks at any change and finds the opportunity that lies within.

Scared Susie

Every time change roars its head, Susie can be found hiding with her head in the ground wishing that everything would stay as it was and that she doesnt need to learn new skills or improve old ones. In her world, change is something to be feared. Susie can often be found working in the same job, in the same company until she is forced out.

Most of us tend to fall into either the Oliver or Susie personality mode. Change is not going away if anything, the rate at which it happens is exponentially increasing especially with the internet. In order to succeed, you must be able to anticipate, deal with and adapt to change.

One of the most important things is to look at the situation objectively and understand that you have control over your thoughts and how you react to the change. How you think about the change will determine whether you are an Opportunistic Oliver or a Scared Susie. Its your life take control!

Copyright 2006 Sandra P. Martini

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