5 Quotes on Managing Change

These five quotes on managing change provide inspiration and guidance on how to embrace change and discover new opportunities. Many great thinkers and leaders throughout history have expressed the idea that change can be for the better.

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” -Alan Watts

Alan Watts’ quote reminds us that change is unavoidable, and the best way to deal with it is to embrace it and move with it. Rather than resisting change, we should run towards it and see where it takes us. We can discover new opportunities and experiences that we might not have discovered otherwise. So, the next time you face a change, remember to dive in and see where it leads you.

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” -John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy’s words serve as a reminder that we must be open to the future if we are to successfully adapt to the inevitable changes that are bound to happen. It’s possible to miss out on future growth and development by concentrating solely on the past or the present. Our level of success depends on our ability to maintain an open mindset and accept change.

“Change before you have to.” -Jack Welch

This quote from the former CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch, emphasizes the significance of being proactive with regard to change. Instead of waiting for change to be imposed upon us, we should take the initiative to bring about our own transformation. This mentality can be applied to both our personal and professional lives, as we should always seek to improve and expand.

“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” -John C. Maxwell

This quote by John C. Maxwell reminds us that, while change is a constant in life, we have the ability to choose how we respond to it. There are two ways to deal with change: fight it and stay the same, or embrace it and grow. By opting for the latter, we can learn new skills, gain new perspectives, and ultimately become better versions of ourselves. So, the next time you’re confronted with a change, understand that you have the choice to choose how you react to it.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” -Henry Ford

This quote from Henry Ford is full of power and truth. When I was an athlete, I had this quote printed on a notecard because it reminded me that no matter how much success I had in the past, if I wanted to keep growing and getting better, I had to keep evolving.

I hope these five quotes on managing change inspire you to look for the opportunity in every change that comes your way.

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Change has a wide range of effects on our lives, both personally and professionally.

As difficult as change can be, staying exactly the same as we are now is even more so. The meaning of life, and the key to long-term fulfillment and happiness, has nothing to do with what we have or what we do, but with whether or not we are constantly evolving and improving.

Those who consistently win in business and in life do not view change as any less painful than the next person, but their attitude toward change is what distinguishes them. The thought of remaining the same is even more painful for them, which fuels their determination to face change head on.

Instead of being afraid of what you are leaving behind the next time you experience change in your personal life or your company embarks on a major change initiative, be open to the possibilities of what could be.

This shift in perspective has the potential to change everything.

Change is painful, but stagnation is even more so.

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That is why one of the most difficult jobs for leaders is to not only execute transformative initiatives, but also conduct open and honest conversations about a particular change that will be taking place within the organization. A lot of leaders miss the mark completely from the very beginning because of their approach to change and how they communicate—or don’t communicate—the change from the start.

The facts are: Your success and level of impact as a leader is greatly determined by your organization’s ability to leading through change, adapt, and execute rapidly through ongoing upheavals. The organization and leader that possesses the ability to guide their teams through change more effectively than the competition will thrive now and in the future, regardless of pandemics, and world chaos.

A Look Back on The Impact of Change Through The Pandemic

From the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and throughout 2021, companies small, medium, and large have had to adapt their business strategy and change quickly. There were many leaders and organizations that were so stuck in their old ways, that if the pandemic crisis didn’t wipe them out, their inability to adapt and change would eventually decrease their earnings and rob them of economic, productive growth.

We’re learning that as the economy has consistently rebounded in 2021, the extent of the damage from businesses not being able to adapt and change, has been profound. However, despite this, there are some encouraging signs. The business leaders and organizations who have adapted, who have embraced change, and those who have created new business opportunities have thrived.

How are they doing this? In a variety of ways. Business leaders who adapt and cater to home based work, new digital processes, “outside-the-box” thinking, or “throw-away-the-box” thinking, and other societal shifts are outpacing others who have tried to continue pre-pandemic.

Creative Destruction: Out With The Old, In With The New

According to an article in Time Magazine, there’s a proliferation of new business systems and technologies replacing outdated ones. It means destroying the “the box” way of thinking. In other words, you must completely eliminate the box. It means tossing out the old ways of working while thinking and creating new ones. This isn’t exactly a new process, but in 2021, it has become a new way of managing business. It is known as “Creative Destruction,” a term popularized by Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter in the 1940s. In an online article from Investopedia, the theory of Creative Destruction assumes that longstanding arrangements and assumptions must be destroyed to free up resources and energy to be deployed for innovation. Schumpeter believed economic development is the natural result of forces internal to the market and is created by opportunity to seek profit.

Reimagination

During the pandemic, major corporations including Disney had to adapt. Their business leaders had to think creatively and reimagine the movie industry. In an entertainment article on Quartz; Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, announced that the company had released the live-action Mulan via its Disney+ streaming service for an extra fee of $30. Chapek explained that the pandemic had forced the company to consider different ways to reach audiences beyond movie theaters. In other words, the company had to think creatively and not only “outside the box,” but eliminate the box altogether.

Leaders can learn from this. We have all witnessed the major success of the streaming services at home with Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and more. And even though movie theaters have been reopening, audiences still have a choice whether they go to the theater to watch a movie on the big screen or watch it in the comfort of their own home.

What would have happened if Disney’s business leaders and teams had said, “No, we want to continue marketing our films the way we always have. It’s the Big Screen or No Screen.” That would have meant the loss of millions and millions of dollars. Instead, Disney’s leaders used their creativity to reimagine one of the most powerful business models in the world. This is one example of how business leaders have changed and adapted to an ongoing crisis that affected the world.

Executing change within an organization can mean a number of different things. Whether new leadership has taken over, or current leaders are driving creativity in different ways, we have witnessed a complete digital transformation. How employees work, socialize, entertain, shop, and live everyday lives, have changed. As a leader, your ability to embrace and execute change in your company is a key organizational imperative.

Leading Through Change More Effectively

Here are a few ways that you, as a leader, can spearhead change more effectively and help team members navigate the discomfort that leading through change brings about.

1. Communication, Encouragement, Support

The first common trap that leaders come across when it comes to change is their lack of preparation when it comes to discussing change. If you start preaching about what needs to change or how someone’s daily work will be different from what they did for the past twenty years, expect the message to fall flat. Leading through change more effectively and executing change initiatives starts with thoughtful, direct, and a human centered approach to communication. You have to understand that even though the change may be so simple and easy for you to understand, that is definitely not the case for everyone else.

A simple but extremely effective formula for leaders to consistently engage in is as follows:

• Communicate the change. Make a strong case for why the change is happening.
• Encourage your team by explaining how change benefits them directly.
• Listen to understand their concerns and how they can be supported.
• Respond with urgency to their concerns and the support needed.
• Tie everything back to them and their needs, which will benefit the company, making a strong case for the change.

2. Embrace Discomfort

Successfully leading through change requires leaders to embrace the discomfort especially during the beginning stages.

Not long ago, I worked with a senior leadership team who experienced these discomfort issues. They were a month and a half in on a major change initiative that was going to change key internal processes. When the change was announced, employees were uncomfortable about the decisions. They were unhappy and resisted adopting the new business structure. It became so uncomfortable and challenging for even the senior leaders that they briefly thought about putting this change initiative on the back burner.

After careful consideration, the leaders decided to move forward but with the knowledge of how uncomfortable the team was. The leaders listened to the growing concerns. They answered questions. They offered support. The leaders explained in detail why the change was necessary, how it was going to benefit the efficiency of key internal processes in the company and showed specific examples of how it was going to make the lives of employees simpler and better. In the end, the change proved to be beneficial for everyone, and the company thrived.

Embracing the discomfort is vital because there is nothing easy about change. If leaders don’t embrace discomfort and resistance they will inevitably experience along the way, it’s nearly impossible to expect others to get on board. Think of it this way. When someone has a goal of losing weight, there is extreme levels of discomfort in the very beginning. Changing daily habits, hiring a coach, and removing guilty pleasures that brought so much satisfaction is hard to do. But those who are able to adopt new habits and stay consistent in their weight loss journey are those who are able to embrace the discomfort and get comfortable being uncomfortable. The same goes for leading change.

3. Emotional Intelligence

All change, whether negative or positive, provides a unique opportunity to advance to a higher level and become better than ever. There are two assumptions that first come to mind when people hear about a change that will be taking place. They either see the change as an opportunity to be better or they will see it as a burden that will take them out of their comfort zone. In all situations, the successful leader will utilize a high degree of emotional intelligence.

In the online article, Mind Tools, there is a focus on emotional intelligence, which is crucial for leaders when leading change. People with a high degree of emotional intelligence know what they’re feeling, what their emotions mean, and how these emotions can affect others. For leaders, increasing emotional intelligence is essential for executing change initiatives. According to Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist who popularized the term, there are five key elements to it: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Social Skills.  By utilizing these five key elements, the leader will more effectively be able to highlight the opportunities that are created from the organizational change. When this is done at scale and repeated day in and day out, you will start gaining traction with shifting the behaviors and mindsets of employees.

A Final Word on Leading Through Change

A lot of people say they hate change, but I disagree. I truly believe that everyone wants to change certain aspects of their life. The problem exists when they can’t imagine and visualize the benefits and opportunities that exist because they are stuck in the same-old mindset. They aren’t using their creative imaginations. They aren’t “reimagining” how things could be, and how the differences could be better for the company and themselves personally.

Show your team that opportunity exists for them and the organization. Create compelling themes and stories that paint a clear picture on why the change is not only necessary, but how it will personally benefit others. When the opportunities are articulated in a clear, compelling, and inspiring way, adoption and execution follows.

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Governments, organizations, institutions, teachers, small businesses, leaders, entrepreneurs, and managers have had to shift to a remote work model overnight, with no time for preparation. As leaders around the world continue to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, we must remember that, in times of undue chaos, anxiety and stress, we must be adaptable and flexible. We must continually change the way we lead.

And how do we do this? We pivot. We invent. We improvise. From the outset of 2020, leaders have been scrambling to cope with change as we faced a highly uncertain and rapidly evolving landscape. Approaches have varied, as have the results. The most effective leaders and managers have paused, reflected on our “new normal” and embraced the change.

What happens during change is that it forces people out of their comfort zone and completely disrupts expectations of the future. It quickly breaks down their sense of control and they become fearful of what will happen. It makes them uneasy. But it also forces people to live in the moment and to stretch their imagination concerning all the possibilities for growth during this time. If left unchecked, change can have a severe impact on overall performance and will too often compromise quality and productivity. But change can also be a good thing with the right perspective.

The New Normal in Leadership

Just because the way you normally conduct business and interact with your team has greatly changed, that doesn’t mean that job performance or results have to be hindered. Here are some suggestions for leaders to consider as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times and the new normal in leadership.

Personal One-On-One Time

Even though you’re not necessarily physically together in an office environment, it’s critical that you seek one-on-one time with your team. I often remind leaders that regardless of how much they are currently communicating, chances are it’s not enough. The most efficient leaders are making it a top priority to not only engage with their team on a more frequent basis, but they truly understand the power in personalized one-on-one conversations. Make it a priority to have frequent one-one-one check ins with your direct reports throughout the week.

Listening

There are two best practices that I have seen from leaders in the Covid-19 pandemic that should never be underestimated. Overcommunicating and listening more than ever. Listen to the fears and needs of your people. Ask for feedback, suggestions, and ideas for moving forward. Increase the two-way communication channels whenever possible, and then listen. It’s not enough to just give employees an opportunity to speak their mind, leaders must actively listen and then deliver on those needs/wants that will help them do their job to the best of their ability.

Empathy

An integral part of effective listening is having empathy for individuals and your team. It is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from their point of view. In other words, put yourself in that person’s position. Everyone is dealing with the pandemic in a different way, along with all of the emotional challenges that come with it. Just because you may be perfectly fine, I can guarantee you someone within your organization is struggling to cope with the stress and uncertainty of the future. Maybe a team member has lost a loved one over the past few months on top of having to worry about job security. As a leader, it’s your duty and obligation to show up with a heart and mindset full of empathy.

Transparency

Continue to be brutally open and transparent about the Coronavirus response and what the organization will be doing as far as mitigation plans moving forward. The more transparent you are in your communication, the more comfortable your people will be as we get closer to normalcy and returning to the office. Be crystal clear about what you expect from your team and what resources the organization can offer them to help increase the efficiency of remote working. Transparency drives organizational performance.

There is no doubt about it that these are deeply challenging times. But we can rise above the challenges and succeed in a world that is always changing. We must continue to nurture flexibility and creativity on how to best connect with our people. We must continue to reinvent ourselves as leaders, as well as organizations. We must embrace this new normal in leadership and know that deep down we will be better because of it.

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