The Winds of Change
By: William I. Brazley, Jr.
**Enhanced DNA Publishing Author**
As we navigate through 2022, the world will look a little different. A lot of changes have taken place over the last twenty months. The majority of that change is due to the COVID -19 virus and its variants. Businesses have had to close their doors, unemployment has reached new heights, and hospitals have run out of available beds. The requirement of masks and vaccinations has become a civil rights debate. However, as the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. We must concentrate on finding the positives amidst the negatives of the situation.
Arthur John C. Maxwell coined the phrase “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” What he is saying is that change is going to happen. However, the way we manage that change will determine if we move forward or get left behind. This is true in our personal lives as well as in our professional careers. More often than not, change is viewed as a negative. But whether change is good or bad will depend on our perspective. That’s the whole point of the saying “the glass is either half full or half empty.”
Since change is inevitable, we should recognize that sooner or later our surroundings and even the people around us will change. The more we understand this, the less upset or surprised we will be when it occurs. Since change is inevitable, then it is usually out of our control to stop the change. If we can’t stop it, then we must learn how to manage it.
Usually, our main concern is how this change will affect me, which is natural. It’s best not to assume or gossip, but instead communicate. Talk to those who are “in the know” to get first-hand knowledge of what is changing, why it is being changed, and how it will affect you. People fear change because they have a fear of the unknown. Change is less frightening when you have full working knowledge and understanding of what is changing and how it affects you. Keep the lines of communication open.
Once you know what’s going on, you can relax and set some smart goals for yourself. On a professional note, be flexible, continue to do your work and keep a positive attitude. Change requires you to be flexible. The easier you can adapt to change, the better you will be able to manage it and the more successful you will be. Continue your work and resist the urge to resist it. Your attitude and how you handle change will benefit you when future opportunities arise. Like the old saying goes, “your attitude determines your altitude.”
On a note of personal advice, look for opportunities to do some of the things you have been procrastinating about. Does the change give you an opportunity to exercise more, read more, or write that best- seller? Over the last twenty months, a large number of people from across the country have had more time on their hands, and an equally large number have had the opportunity to work from home. How did those with the extra time use it? Remember, once time is gone it cannot be retrieved. This was an excellent opportunity for us to work on ourselves and some of our personal goals.
Finally, look at the big picture and the reason for change. Does it make sense? Does it align with your company’s mission statement? Does it offer you an opportunity to learn new things and to grow personally and professionally? Do you see opportunities for yourself within the change? If you can answer yes to these questions then I would say that the change is not only good but that you have a good chance of benefitting from it.
John C. Maxwell has “Seven Steps to Success”, which are as follows:
1) Make a commitment to grow daily.
2) Value the process more than events.
3) Don't wait for inspiration.
4) Be willing to sacrifice pleasure for opportunity.
5) Dream big.
6) Plan your priorities.
7) Give up to go up.
There is no way that you can accomplish the seven things listed above without changing. Remember, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” What will your choice be? There is only one thing worse than failing, and that’s failing to try. Go ahead and start writing that book!
Sources
John C. Maxwell
The Principle of Change and Developing the Leader Within
Calvin Sun
10 Tips for dealing with change in the workplace
Terri Babers
How to Deal With Change
About William I. Brazley, Jr.
William I. Brazley Jr. was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in Business Management. William has spent most of his career in Human Resources (HR), having earned a national certification soon after completing HR Management courses at Bellarmine University. He has over thirty years of service at a local government agency, and recently retired as their HR Director. He attends First Baptist Church of Jeffersontown, and he loves his church family.
As a child, a good movie was not only William’s source of entertainment; it was his escape from reality. He went to the theatre at every opportunity where he discovered that he loved a good story. But there came a time when those good stories and good movies seemed far and few between. As a self-proclaimed movie critic, he decided to write his own stories.
William writes mainly fiction, laced with reality and humor. He has come a long way from college papers filled with red marks, and a professor who told him that he was borderline illiterate. To this day, William rarely uses a red pen, and he believes that spelling and grammar check have increased his intelligence. William is the author of two books published by Enhanced DNA Publishing, "Beware the POTUS" and "The Messiah's Servant", both available on Amazon.
