We always do it like that...

A consultant was asked into a manufacturing company to help and advise them on the efficiency of their procedures and to look at ways of improving them.  As he was reviewing all the paperwork he came across a daily report which was used as a record of absentee rates, machine failure, down time, etc.  The form that was used was manually filled iin on a copy of a copy of a copy which was a long way from the original!

The photocopied forms were particularly fuzzy at the top right corner, where a small box had a heading that was not clear at all.  The consultant was interested to note that the figure '0' had been written in every daily report for the past year.  On questioning the members of staff who completed the report they told him that they always put a zero in that box, and when he asked them why they looked at each other blankly.  "Hmm.., not sure really." they said "We always do it like that."

Intrigued, the consultant visited the archives to see if he could find a clearer version of the form, to be able to see what was originally being reported on and whether it actually held any significance now!  He went back through the decades of records and found that the zero return had continued uninterrupted for as far back as the records extended - at least thirty years!  None of the forms were any clearer than those currently being used.

A little frustrated, he packed the boxes back up and turned to leave when another folder caught his eye.  It was titled 'master forms'.  Sure enough inside it he found the original daily report master copy in pristine condition.  In the top right corner was the mysterious box, with the heading clearly shown... 'Number of Air Raids today'

If you are finding yourself saying 'we always do it like that' more often than not then it is time to step back and look at what you are doing and to see if it is still what is needed.  If not then you need to take ACTION to change old processes! 

You will need to change your 'thinking' processes as well as the 'practical' processes.  If you are looking to grow and evolve your business make sure you look at the whole and that includes you.  If you want understand how this will work for you then get in touch.

Life Lessons I have learnt from Ultra Running

1. Deal with the small stuff!

That voice niggling away in your ear - stop and listen to it - what might seem small and inconsequential now could end up driving you to distraction and using up valuable mental energy.

2. Know where you are

Navigating to where you want to be means understanding and knowing where you currently are.  Write out your plan and mentally bookmark where you are on it continuously.  If you lose your place you can go back to the last place you knew for definite and then go from there.

3. Enjoy the dark

Get comfortable with not having all the answers.  Things do not always go our way.  The ways you have of navigating where you are may not work so well in the dark.  Relax, let your senses guide you, know that it is always darkest before the dawn.  Enjoy the knowledge and different view of the world you get in the dark.

4. Know You

You are the only person with you every second of every day - get happy with that.  Greater self awareness and self management means greater flexibility in our thinking, feeling and actions in a constantly changing environment.  Make decisions that work towards your goal.

5. Its ok to slow down

Slowing down can make a big difference.  You can see clearly what is happening around you and gives you some time to recover your energy.  This isn't about ambling - stay purposeful and meaningful in your actions.  You are in charge of how you are in the world.

6. Its ok to stop!

Relentless pursuit of your goal can be draining emotionally, mentally and physically on you and others around you.  You will recover if you give yourself the chance.  Acknowledge the signs that you need to stop, eat, sleep... stop chasing others - you'll catch them up.  Tell yourself the positives of what you have done so far - ask for help from others if you need it.  Have patience and be gentle on yourself.  Start up slowly as you feel ready to move on.

7. Be in the moment

Rather than focusing on the end goal - break it down into chunks.  Focus on what's in your immediate control, enjoy the moment you are in knowing it is unique and taking you where you want to go.

8. Either / Or, or somewhere in between

It's easy to get caught up with the end goal and see it as either we are on our way to achieving it or not.  Take a step back - you're in this for the long journey.  Targets set at the beginning need to be reviewed as we go - be flexible about changes as they happen - give yourself the space to make changes and not letting yourself stress when the targets move - move with them, let them go, create new ones with the knowledge you have gained so far.

9. Be a part of where you are

Take stock and fully immerse yourself in the landscape around you.  Experience it fully through all your senses.  This is not about looking at it from afar but being part of it.

10. Be organised

Thinking back to 'Know You' - you know what might stop you so do something about it at the beginning - have a plan B, C, D... keep to hand the strategies that work for you .  If you've already thought about what might a problem further down the line then you can come up with ways round it - if it happens then you're ready to deal with it.  This is your life and it's going to be a long one - which means more moments to deal with, more choices to make.

11. What goes up must come down

Prepare for the hard work of going uphill and remember to enjoy the downhills.  Be mindful of the fact you can get a little out of control the faster you go downhill and are more likely to trip and fall here than on the up!  Be purposeful!

12. Whose rules?

This is your journey, your strategy, your goal.  You set the rules for you.  If it works for you it's right for you.  What works for others is right for them.  Experiment and learn from each thing you do and develop your strategy from there.  Be curious.

13. Just one of you

You are the only you that's in this world - your journey is unique to you - remember that.

14. Finish first

This means you have to get to the finish line - not that you have to be the first to the finish line!  Achieve your goal; get to the end of this particular journey.  When you've done that then you can look back at how you achieved it and take new knowledge forward into the next one!

Understanding Change - Part 7

Anything else?

Initial Response - YOU DEAL WITH CHANGE BETTER THE MORE EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE OVER TIME.

 

Final thoughts...

Conclusions

Change is welcomed as a challenge and exciting when that person in is control.  It is scary and uncomfortable when it is happening to them.

Be clear about what you want to achieve with your change and your goals and take control of delivering them.

Have a good support network - find the people you need to help you.

Embrace change by knowing it is going to happen.

Having time to reflect on it and make decisions based on the choices available.

Know and understand that a professional career will end at some point and there are other choices available.

Change is neither Good or Bad, it just IS.  How we decide to react to change and the choices we make around it are the difference that makes the difference.  We have responsibility for our actions and the choices in our thinking. 

"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes.  Don't resist them, that only creates sorrow.  Let reality be reality.  Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like."

Laozi 

Understanding Change - Part 6

What would be useful to know of / have when dealing with change?

Main thought - CRYSTAL BALL

This question gave me some great insight into why the people I spoke to had dealt so well with transition and change.  What they wanted to know was what the outcome of change would be and then decide how they would control their destiny and choices.

One point that came through was not to go blindly in to any change.  Also there was a lot of thinking about the people who made up their team that they had around them.

There were some neutral aspects around knowing and understanding the change in terms of timescale, financial implications, researching the pro's and con's in order to understand the medium and long term progress and have as much information in order to make a decision and be able to manage it.

Everyone has a team of people around them and having a mentor, someone who will share their experience with them and help guide them through is invaluable.  Knowing the people who can help and picking the right people to be involved. Know who is doing what and when and that they are confident and competent in their role.

As individuals it is about knowing where they are starting from and what the goal is at the end.  Believing in the change and having understanding in where you are going to get to.  People expected the unexpected and thought about the speed of change while they learnt, adapted and grew.  They all made a change by knowing why they wanted the change. It is understanding how they provoke thinking in others for them to take forward.  It's about having a good attitude to change.

Ask Yourself?

What do you already know that helps you deal with change?

Your can now take part in this research at Survey Monkey - Understanding Change Research

The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!

Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop
For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT 

Understanding Change - Part 5

What is your current strategy for dealing with change?

Initial Response - FACE IT

Peoples strategies were about dealing with the change, There was a small amount of burying their head in the sand and a feeling that they could not effect change from the bottom.  This was quickly replaced with a strategy of  breaking down the change into small chucks and learning how to manage upwards.

On the whole the strategies started with the fact you had to face up the them, the fact that change happens and you need to respond to it and learn to roll with the punches.

As an individual having a goal meant that there was then room for planning and creating what the next steps needed to be and also helped people then initiate the change and become the change agent.  This allowed them to build their networks and learn new skills.

Some would want to keep ahead of change in order to have opportunity and challenge and would therefore actively seek out new goals to challenge themselves with.

Running through all the strategies there was also a little bit of 'just get on with it' and being clear that the change was not for change sake - but because it matters.

Within any change there is good and bad and those interviewed would look for the good and embrace it and would find out what the benefits would be and be able to show others in order to bring them on board with the changes and help change hearts and minds of those not yet convinced.

Ask Yourself?

What's your current strategy for dealing with change?

Your can now take part in this research at Survey Monkey - Understanding Change Research

The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!

Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop
For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT 

Understanding Change - Part 3

How do you feel about Change?

Initial Response - EXCITING

Let's start this looking at the negative feelings around change.  It creates a feeling of uncertainty and apprehension.  People are nervous and thought change could be scary and depending on the scale of the change - daunting.  Change is unpredictable and there was fear in how they would deal with it and it can make you feel uncomfortable.

The other side of the coin is that the feeling that change is refreshing, it helps get rid of old procedures, it's enjoyable and creative. If you welcome it and embrace it then it is an opportunity to do something different.

The opposite reactions were strongly linked to when change was created and caused by the individual (Started thinking) or if changed happened directly to them or around them (Stopped thinking).

More neutral feelings where linked to whether the change effected others and also about reflecting on change in order to adapt and make choices about how you wanted to feel about it.  Change was welcomed in itself but not always the results that occurred because of it.

Ask Yourself?

If you were to take control of your part in a change - how would this change your thinking?

Your can now take part in this research at Survey Monkey - Understanding Change Research

The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!

Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop
For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT 

Understanding Change - Part 2

What does change mean to you?

Initial Response - CHALLENGE

Most of those interviewed when asked this question sat back, smiled and with their eyes wide open said with relish 'Challenge'.

There are more Started responses to the question of what change means for those interviewed than there were Stopped.

Change is about being excited by the new opportunities and innovations - being flexible to do things differently in order to have an impact.

It is about moving with the times and taking people with you and having that revelation that you don't need to stay stuck.

The other side of the coin is that it does take you out of your comfort zone, there is fear, apprehension and uncertainty and this brings us back to the challenge of change.

For the majority change meant challenge and when they think about challenge it become more about developing new skills, looking ahead, planning the long term and being able to communicate more effectively.

Ask Yourself?

The meaning of change is that it will come to you and evidently you will have to change - what are you going to do about it?

Your can now take part in this research at Survey Monkey - Understanding Change Research

The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!

Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop
For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT 

Understanding Change - Part 1

Over the next few weeks I am going to be sharing some of the findings from my change mindset research undertaken over the winter.

I undertook the research as I wanted to understand how people dealt with the changes that happened as they transitioned from professional sport to the next stage in their life.  I interviewed a variety of people from both sport and business backgrounds to find out what their mindset and strategy was when dealing with change.  I wanted to know how this group of people thought about change and if there were common themes and strategies that others who were facing change could take on.

I asked everyone the same six questions, which will be available to you next week so that you can also take part in this research.

With many thanks to the following for their time and insight with this research, before, during and after...

Bryan Steel, Dan Davies, David Cook, David Moorcroft, Geoff Webb, George Arbuckle, John Quenby, Nadeem Shaikh, Neil Heaney, Dr Matt Long, Phil Briggs

As I collated the answers, I was able to see that although initially the answers could be thought to be positive or negative, the research led me to realise that it was more about getting thinking Started to achieving goals or taking control of a change as opposed to Stopping thinking and then getting stuck in the situation.  There were also questions and statements made which were Neutral and seemed to give space in order to change from Stopped thinking to Started thinking. 

For five of the questions there is a pie chart with the relationship between the different thinking patterns that show Started, Stopped or Neutral thinking. 

The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!

Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop

For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT