Embracing Change
by Javier Mendoza, Co Founder of Connect Global
Nothing is promised and there are no overnight successes when building our business or organization. When leading our companies, our teams, or even our families we need to accept that leaders are learners. We are perpetual students in the journey of life and we need to find ways to make ourselves and those around us better. We need to be able to embrace change and ultimately welcome the transformation into what it is that we desire to see in ourself and the world. Three ways we embrace change are by learning the value of change, cultivating resilience, and leading confidently through the change.
One of the most important things we do as leaders is learning the Value of Change. Embracing change provides us and our teams with a great deal of positive potential. Change is inevitable and while many are not fans of change those who recognize its upside are at a great advantage. Being adaptable to change allow for quick recovery when something bad comes along. We need to be prepared with a plan of attack but also realize that as leaders we will never be fully prepared for everything that comes our way. Having agility in the face of adversity builds resilience over time.
"Change is not something that we should fear. Rather, it is something that we should welcome. For without change, nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom, and no one in this world would ever move forward to become the person they're meant to be." - B.K.S. Iyengar
Cultivating Resilience in our Leadership is what will differentiate us from the masses. Many people when faced with challenges are unprepared and buckle under the weight of the shifts. Resilience allows us to withstand the obstacles in our way and give us the ability to recover quickly when things go wrong. This takes making decisions multiple steps ahead so that we are not bogged down buy the current pressures. Todays problems should have already been processed and mitigated by the time we are addressing them and while there may be unexpected bumps we can be ready to face them because of our experiences and our success at dealing with change in the past. Resilience is a muscle every leaders needs to develop.
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Nelson Mandela
Leading with Confidence makes others around us feel empowered, and certain of the future even when they can't see through the gun smoke. The way in which you communicate your confidence will make all the difference in the ability of your team to embrace change or handle setbacks. Confidence is contagious. It is not so much communicated through words but most times through actions and through consistency. People learn to trust you when they see you execute over and over. Decisiveness is important when facing adversity in the battles of life. People will detect uncertainty and begin to fear the future unless they have someone confident to follow. This doesn't mean you know every possible answer or every outcome but you have a plan, you take action, and you provide the next steps for those around you.
"Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing" —James 1:2-4
As leaders, we will not always like the cards we are dealt. Change is a part of the journey. We can and need to control as many of the 'inputs' as possible and be ready for the unpredictable. As long as awe have equipped our teams with a secure understanding of the 'why and 'what' they will find the 'how' even in the face of change and adversity.
