Everything Stays Different!
“The world won’t end like this,” Swedish singer Zarah Leander once sang. That statement is, of course, only partly true. With every profound change, a part of the old world goes under, and only because of that can new things be created quickly.
If it happens intentionally, it is called “creative destruction.” But what if it happens unintentionally? Then it’s called “Black Swan,” as Nassim Nicholas Taleb wrote in his book of the same name some time ago.
The fascinating thing is that for the vast majority of those who witness a profound change, life goes on somehow, and in a short time for many even better than before. This applies to people as well as to companies. However, some are left behind.
Here comes the good news: it is largely in your hands. Provided you remain capable of acting at all (and most people do), you can decide for yourself whether you will do better or worse afterward the change.
Here are the three most important decisions in business for taking the right path:
- First reaction. The first reaction of the leadership team is crucial. Do you subconsciously say to yourself, “This is hard and, therefore, fascinating. I’m curious how we master it”? Or rather, “This is terrible. The depression will come and sweep us all away”?
- Acceptance. The faster you accept the challenge, the more likely you will succeed. The best leaders switch from shock to attack within minutes. The flexibility of the leadership team’s mental muscles plays a major role.
- Fun. It may come as a surprise to some, but fun is a decisive factor for success after every setback. By “fun,” I don’t mean constant laughter but the pleasure of the challenge, the change, and even the setbacks.
If you could benefit from help adjusting to some changes, get in touch here.