A mentor of mine, Jack Welch once said very eloquently, "Change before you have to." How many times have you had to change and didn't want to? In the work I do with executives, we are often looking for better ways to simplify, eliminate risk, and drive growth. If we don't, the competition will.
Ok. That sounds nice and corporate. But let's get real. Are you a parent? Do you want your kids to have a chance at this world? Equip them with experiences that will help them adapt, grow, change and find opportunity! If you don't, who will?
Ok. That sounds nice and corporate. But let's get real. Are you a parent? Do you want your kids to have a chance at this world? Equip them with experiences that will help them adapt, grow, change and find opportunity! If you don't, who will?
The best leaders (and parents) know change is about getting others to see and co-create the vision and be agents of that change. I find getting my toddler to enroll into my thinking is far better than telling her what to do. Seriously, does a toddler listen?
Our change challenge? We are in Day 28 of the Big Girl Bed Project. She screams her head off when I lay her down to sleep. "Mommy I'm scared of spiders, don't turn off the light. I want milk. Don't shut the gate. I want my toy". She does everything she can to get me to budge. Every night though, we've progressed because she's learning to accept her new reality: The Crib Isn't Coming Back! I keep assuring her this change is a huge opportunity for her! What she doesn't know is I was the one who had a hard time transitioning her from the bouncy (chair) she slept in the first month to her crib. Once I moved her into the crib...I had the opportunity of sleep and she gained the opportunity to become more independent.
Earlier in my career and life, I had a view that "change happens". With time, I learned we create change and opportunities. What opportunities have you created out of change? Have you ever forced yourself to make a change knowing in the longer term you'd see rewards? Did you ever teach your kid a hard lesson by letting he/she just learn the hard way?
What changes and opportunities are you creating for yourself? your children?
We are never too old to start!
We are never too old to start!
