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Business
Development
Dealing With Change
By Ann Estabrooks
Think about the human body. It consists of 50 trillion cells.
These cells contain enough iron to make a three-inch nail and
enough lead to make 600 pencils. The eyes can determine up to
10,000 different colors. The tongue has 10,000 taste buds that
allow us to differentiate up to 500 tastes. The brain contains
15 billion cells to allow us the ability to manipulate the
information contained within it in creative and innovative
ways.
The body is a living example of change and renewal. As cells
die, new cells are born to replace the outdated cells within
the body. So it is in business. The body is a mirror that
helps us see that the ever-changing environment is altering
before our eyes. Change is good, but even the most positive
changes can be stressful.
We are all asked to reinvent ourselves, the work environment,
the work we do, and our interpersonal relationships every day.
How can we be more accepting of change? It is human nature to
want to hold on to the familiar and stable concepts. However,
it is exactly that resistance to change that can prevent us
from succeeding.
Many entrepreneurs start their own companies in order to get
away from the bureaucratic and authoritative environments that
were traditional in the past. Entrepreneurs need enough
structure to help their businesses succeed, but also have to
remain flexible enough to adapt to changing ideas and market
conditions. This is particularly important for strategy
development within a growing company.
It is imperative that the business not become layered in a
decision making process. In order to stay nimble, flexibility
and adaptability are required. The challenge is for the CEO to
empower the staff and not carry all the decision-making
authority.
Develop a Big Idea
Entrepreneurs are creative and innovative. They are interested
in expressing their creativity by inventing new products and
services. They have a passion for new ideas and bring those
ideas to fruition. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and
Leonardo daVinci all had a passion for innovation and the
sharing of those ideas. It is the creating, innovating, and
sharing of those ideas that inspire many entrepreneurs to live
life to the fullest in the pursuit of making their vision a
reality.
Live with Integrity, Lead by Example
When integrity, honesty and trust are coupled with vision,
stability, and an empowering style, dynamic leadership occurs.
It takes courage, flexibility, and commitment to be a CEO.
Keeping your word builds respect and trust. It means doing
things right, even when it's difficult. It means leading by
example rather than "do as I say."
Other traits helpful in leading a successful organization
include: passion, intelligence, clarity, high energy, ego
checked at the door, ability to adapt to change, positive
attitude, and strong communication skills.
Inspire Others to Achieve All That They Can Be
The old style of management was hierarchical and political.
Today's corporations are taking a different approach or they
risk losing a talented workforce. Employees will go with a
startup for less money if they feel that they can belong to
vision with a management style that is empowering and allowing
of employee input.
In order to be a good leader, a CEO must be a good follower as
well. It helps to be accepting of other ideas even when they
are in conflict with the CEO's ideas. Personal ego needs to be
subjugated to the needs of the business. If the leader takes
risks for the organization's people, then people will feel
more inclusive of company goals and take pride in fulfilling
the company's objectives.
Create a Flexible and Responsive Organization
Even the most conservative environments now offer flextime and
business casual styles of dress. Some even offer cafeteria
benefit packages so that those within the organization can
choose what makes the most sense for them. Others are becoming
more open to the idea of telecommuting. Entrepreneurial
companies see that the process of working through creativity
and empowerment rather than control and manipulation is more
effective in the long run. As the company grows, the challenge
is to provide the appropriate direction and oversight without
losing the entrepreneurial style.
Build a Great Management Team
In an ever tightening vice of demands and rapidly changing
technology, the backdrop of business is changing. Companies
are looking for team builders who are good communicators. They
want courageous people who don't get stuck with an idea but
are constantly reinventing new ways to deliver the best
possible product with a team-based approach. When every voice
is heard, respected, and considered, people respond with
loyalty because they are glad to come to work and are excited
about participating within the company. People become
motivated. Motivation helps grow the company, thereby allowing
the company to prosper. Give people the tools and trust and
they will feel empowered to create and learn.
Active Participation
Have you ever worked with someone who refuses to get in the
boat and row in the same direction as everyone else? People
resist change when they are not included and do not
understand. People also avoid changing when trust is not
established and they perceive that the management will not
stand behind the vision and support the team.
Much press has been given to the idea that employees need to
feel empowered in order to make a contribution. If the
employee is not allowed to contribute to the overall strategy
of the organization, he or she may feel powerless and refrain
from contribution. They may also feel that there is no
incentive to go with the flow.
Many people's response to change is anxiety. They need to be
given the tools and support to encourage change. They also
need to be included in the vision to feel a sense of belonging
in establishing their commitment to the vision.
The people within the company have to be adaptable and willing
to change their ideas, if necessary, to contribute to the
overall success and direction of the company. This means that
everyone works as a team with the enthusiasm and support of
leadership. The visionary must model integrity, show respect,
have an open communication style, and have patience.
If people are encouraged to be the best that they can be and
are trusted in the process, they will feel like they are
contributing to something larger than what they are. When
people are included in the overall strategy, they feel some
authorship in the company vision. By engaging people it gives
them a sense of belonging.
Tie the Company Together With Reinforcing Management and
Compensations Systems
As people are leaving the more established hierarchical
environments, there are new strategies being developed to help
retain people. The visionary leader wants to share the
benefits and rewards of good leadership with the people who
support the vision. For that reason, many firms are
specializing in ways to reward employees for helping the
overall company direction succeed. Examples are sign on
bonuses, equity arrangements, stock options, quarterly and
yearly bonuses, vacation time which is more than the norm, a
full benefits package, and retirement plans.
Currently there is much debate about performance reviews and
how to conduct them. Some believe that the individual goals
must be tied to the overall performance of the company. The
team concept is used to tie the performance of the team to
reaching goals and objectives. But what happens when all but
one team succeeds? Is the individual in a successful group
penalized for those who did not succeed? Are there measures in
place to support the unsuccessful team by groups that have
achieved success?
Perhaps it is the joint performance review that evaluates
performance on an individual level as well as the team review
that produces a more effective evaluation. Organizations may
also use the self-evaluative process as part of the review to
determine what the person feels about his or her work. It also
provides a forum for the employee to identify opportunities
and ways to grow within the workplace.
In Summary
"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor
the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to
change." - Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher
Just as the cells in the body change, we all need a challenge
to grow. Winston Churchill said, "Success is never
final." Success is something that is constantly
reinvented. As goals and visions are reached, we are
challenged to redefine a new story. This new story allows us
to go out and achieve that dream as part of the evolution of
life.
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