Stop doing what does not work
This is no ordinary recession we’re in. Our media loves to talk about how bad it is. But in many ways it’s really no worse and no better than any other economic downturn. It is different though. It’s different because it signals a time of massive changes in our economy. That’s why it’s so scary. Because in times of change we’re less certain of what tomorrow will bring. Fear and uncertainty can cause us to go into survival mode where we focus on just getting by. And we usually do that by sticking with what we know works and resisting new things.
It’s ironic that in times of great change, when the need to change is greatest, that is when most of us are least likely to change.
Now is the time we need to look ahead to find new and better ways to do things. As the world around us changes, we’ll find things don’t necessarily work the way they used to. We’ll find some things are no longer as effective. They need to be replaced with better, smart solutions.
But before you can begin finding and implementing new solutions, you need to do one thing. You need to stop doing what no longer works.
Maybe you’ve heard of the old saying: “Out with the old and in with the new.” Part of its wisdom is it reminds us that we need to make room in our world for the new things. And when we look for new (and better) ways of serving our customers, then we need to make room for the new solutions.
First, we need to make time. If we continue to occupy ourselves with activities that are no longer effective, we’ll never try anything new because (say it with me) “we’re too busy”.
Second, we need to make room mentally. For us to discover new ways of getting things done, we need to be open to them. We need to try new things and consider new ideas. It’s harder to do this if we continue to focus on (and stay busy doing) the old things that are no longer effective.
This is a perfect time (remember, it’s a time of change) to look at everything you do in your business. Ask if it’s still useful to your organization. Does it help you accomplish what you need to without wasting resources? Will it continue to be viable as our world changes? And don’t take on this burden all by yourself. Get help. Ask employees, co-workers, even vendors and customers for their input.
When you have a list of things, ideas, activities, policies, procedures (you name it) that no longer seem relevant, then start eliminating them. Remove them from your organization.
Then replace them with a newer, better, more effective version. Keep trying new things until you find what works.
Don’t over do it. Take it one step at a time. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself. It’s better to succeed small and learn as you go. The more you do it, the better you’ll get. Do this enough and you’ll never have to worry about change because you’ll be taking it head on. You’ll never fear change again!
“If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”
-Author Unknown
Other articles you might like:
- How to Beat the Recession – Part 2
- A lesson on changing your organization
- Use faith and frustration to improve
- The Smart Marketing Formula – Part 3
- Plan your customer service improvement for 2010
