The Sunday Mail
Changing Perspectives
Rutendo Gwatidzo
CHANGE can bring happiness and excitement, but, on the other hand, it can be complicated and messy.
The best way to deal with it is to understand and plan for it.
Many people view change as negative.
Sadly, change is inevitable no matter how much you may wish it away.
However, do not allow it to rule your life.
Change might be painful, but staying where you are no longer needed is more painful.
For instance, changing positions comes with much negativity and bruised feelings for many, especially those occupying high positions.
One author once said: “It doesn’t matter how strong your opinions are, if you don’t use them for positive change, you are indeed part of the problem.”
Guess what? Sometimes change happens inexorably, whether one likes it or not.
In most cases, embracing change and looking at things differently helps. Remember, life does not stop for anyone. No matter the circumstances, we continue to have different seasons in a year.
The same applies in organisations; they go through different seasons.
Some adjustments may come with salary cuts, downsizing or restructuring.
Whichever way it affects you, learn to embrace it and move forward, not backwards. If you move backwards, you are likely to be adversely affected by such unfortunate circumstances. However, if you move forward, you are likely to find new ways of survival without falling victim to change.
It starts with your attitude.
If you find yourself in a comfort zone for a long period, then you are not experiencing any growth. Growth comes with change. Surprisingly, almost everyone expects change in certain areas of life, but almost everyone is not willing to be the change. It is sad how many will continue to complain without taking action.
Others expect good business, but when customers visit their organisation, they treat them in a way that pushes them away.
It is important to understand that organisational change starts at individual level.
Change is an integral part of life.
Resisting it is like planning to fail because it is futile. No one remains a teenager forever. Who wishes for their child to remain a toddler? Why then try to stop change from happening? Eventually, we will all die no matter how much we try to live right.
So, change eventually happens no matter how much we dislike or hate it.
It is advisable to plan for it when it happens. Be encouraged to plan for change, especially in those obvious areas of life where you know that it is a matter of time before change occurs. Change the way you look at change if you are one of the people who always views it negatively. You are the one you have been waiting for, for things to change.
Change starts with you.
If you need growth, embrace change.
Improvement comes with change and success comes with change as well.
Sometimes, with change, you may feel you are giving up, yet you will be creating room for great things. In order to fly high, you must let go what weighs you down.
Change before you are forced to.
There is a difference between wanting to change and having to change.
Barack Obama, the former president of the United States, once said: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we have been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
Be inspired to make a difference and to be the difference in areas you wish to see a difference. Be challenged to be the change agent in your organisation, family or community.
The seemingly baby steps will make a big difference before you realise it.
With commitment, determination and consistency, you will surely stay on top of the game.
Rutendo Gwatidzo is a culture and change management strategist. She is an HR consultant, speaker, mentor and author of the book ‘Born to Fight’. Contact detail: 0714575805/ [email protected] / Rutendo Gwatidzo official fb public page.
