Is the world changing or are you changing?

Before we begin to debate this question, let’s start with the meaning of the word change: To become or make different. Substitute or replace. Transition from something. Obviously, the number of variants continues and I could add more but this should a good start. I guess when it comes to change, the bottom-line is that we are attempting to make a fresh start in our business with the expectation of a positive result at a predetermined point in the future. Dr. Kit Silcox once shared with me three these questions of wisdom:

• What do you want to do?
• What do you need to do?
• What can you do?

Answering these there questions may be an excellent way in determining what you might need to change in your business to meet the future needs and expectations of your clients.

The last six months have left many businesses scrambling for ideas that enable them to stay on track. What they wanted to do, what they needed to do, and could do has been de-railed and influenced not only internal forces but in the present context more strongly influenced by external forces. One thing is certain; you succeed when you think critically and ask questions.

The problem generally is that we may not be asking enough challenging questions in order to generate a clear and balanced perspective.

If you are alone in your business you may decide to involve family and friends in the process.

If your business is larger, get a few of the key managers involved. You can even take it a step further by involving a business coach to facilitate the discussion so that you ask questions that will permit everyone in the process to see well beyond conventional discussions. The process should be well documented and prioritized and should lead to both short-term and long-term goals and a strategies to move forward.

The economy, market shifts and demographics will continue to affect us but we do have a choice. The choice to react to our current situation or to focus on the future. Nicholas Boothman said it so well in his book ‘How to connect in business in 90 seconds or less’ in referring to KFC. Nicholas was not talking about chicken. He was taking about a concept of Knowing what you want, Finding out what you are getting and, most importantly Changing what you are getting until you get what you want.

It is obvious the world is changing but instead of trying to control change and all variables that are affecting you, control the change and speed around you by asking the type of questions that keep you firmly in command.