As I read through Twitter streams and blog posts, I constantly come across entrepreneurs dealing with organizational change and the stresses behind it. We know change is difficult, that is no secret, the actual secret is the positive benefits of change in many circumstances. The ability to look at change from the positive perspective could be the difference between a positive fiscal quarter and a potato chip and ice cream binge (not that I would ever do that...).
Drum roll please....
The top four reasons that change is great:
1) Change can force you to learn new skills -- Very often in an organization, people's functions are specific and they often get stuck in a rut performing the same tasks day in and day out. When change occurs and roles get shifted, this is the ideal opportunity to grow your skill set. Look at it as a challenge and opportunity to grow beyond your comfort zone and expand your scope of knowledge.
2) Change can force you to get back in the game -- When employees leave a company, they very often leave a role that needs to be filled by someone until the new hire can take place. This is where the opportunity kicks in. This hole can be seen as a way to truly shine by brushing up on old skill sets, and remembering the thrill of some of the hands on jobs that you used to be involved in but have been too busy to focus on. It can be reinvigorating, it can give you a different perspective on your business and most importantly, it allows you to see that no business relies on one single person and everyone is replaceable.
3) Change is the only way to avoid stagnation -- Without change, things would always be the same. You would go about your day with the same actions, the same expectations and the same outcomes. Change is an opportunity to find a new more innovative way of doing things. A new perspective on an old business. A new way of selling a service that you have sold in a mediocre way for many years. The status quo should never be acceptable and change is the opportunity to be above average.
4) Change can lead to new opportunities -- When change occurs in an organization, it is an opportunity to meet new people, bring on new perspectives and learn from people who have not been immersed in the day to day of your business year after year. This can actually be a great opportunity to learn and see your organization in a completely new perspective.
Although scary and often intimidating, we need to take away the negative connotation that the word change has and somehow rewire our minds to think of it as an opportunity. Life is a heck of an adventure and without embracing change, it will be dull and uneventful; but if you embrace it, the opportunities can be endless.