Times are tough for lots of people. Each of us in our businesses or organizations will have challenges to face in the coming years. The press tells me things will only improve in 2025 or when a change of Government comes about. Well, I am not one to believe that. I think that coming to terms with the challenge is something we need to do right now and take action. If things really are going to get very difficult with energy costs, the recession and the cost-of-living crisis, I think it's a good idea to put the brain box to work and figure out ways to deal with it. The alternative is to sit still and wait for these 'things' to happen. I am not one for that.
I have been talking with existing and potential clients, and the mindsets they are sharing are not all positive and optimistic. There's a surprise. I decided to put this blog post together, and with my 'optimistic' head on, I'd like you to think differently. So, I have some gentle challenges for you and alternatives to some of the pessimistic mindsets I have tracked in conversations, and the media.
In 2022 here are some of the attitudes I have heard of late that stop organizational leaders and managers from changing. How would you gauge commitment to change from these worldview attitudes below? What do you think?
A Pessimistic Mindset and a state of nervous busyness pervade all activity
" We are so busy there is never a good time to introduce change".
"We want this to work and give it a chance, but the window isn't here right now – we have to pick the perfect time to introduce this."
"The economic circumstances are right against us now, and we want to make sure that when we do change, we have the best chance of it being a success."
"We will never know all we need to know to bring this change – we need to study the market and what other people are doing, research literature and case studies to get a really well-informed picture of what we can do."
"This solution would never work for us – we are so different to everybody else in our marketplace."
"It's all very well talking about what works in the commercial sector, but it can never work for us in the public services/NHS/Local Authority/Third Sector [Choose any industry or organization]."
"It is too expensive and takes too much resource and time."
"We just got caught up with the end-of-year financial cycle. We can always do this later after the end-of-year results are published."
"We don't have the expertise or the staff to bring on those changes just now."
"We need stronger leaders and teams to see this through; we don't have people of that calibre just now".
Optimistic: Some gentle reframes
We are so busy there is never a good time to introduce change.
Alternative: You are always going to be busy. You will always find things to fill your time. Only you know whether they are the right way of investing in your future. How about taking a step back and doing something different? Investing in prevention and building a robust culture may be advantageous.
"We want this to work and give it a chance, but the window isn't here right now – we have to pick the perfect time to introduce this."
Alternative: The right window of opportunity may never be available – you must choose to shape your future while keeping all the balls in the air. Do you have to ask whether there ever is perfect timing?
"The economic circumstances are right against us now, and we want to make sure that when we do change, we have the best chance of it being a success."
Alternative: Whenever will the right economic environment be there for you? When will the circumstances be perfect for you?
"We will never know all we need to know to bring this change – we need to study the market and what other people are doing, research literature and case studies to get a really well-informed picture of what we can do."
TBH, it does not matter how much time you devote to this; there are always new papers, books and research to keep you updated. When will you be brave enough to know when to stop looking and decide to commit and take action?
"This solution would never work for us – we are so different to everybody else in our marketplace".
Alternative: Give it a chance, examine the benefits, and see how solutions can be designed and created to fit your circumstances, culture, and vision for the future.
"It's all very well talking about what works in the commercial sector, but it can never work for us in the public services/NHS/Local Authority/Third Sector [Choose any industry or organization]."
Alternative: Give it a chance. How different are you really from other organizations? You have clients, suppliers, users and customers like everybody else. You achieve your results through your leadership, people and teamwork. There are no fundamental differences here that can be resolved with thoughtful planning and a commitment to implementation rather than endless talking and inaction.
"It is too expensive and takes too much resource and time."
Alternative: It might appear too expensive, but what will it cost you in the longer term if you fail to deal with those challenges currently holding you back and inhibiting your growth and viability in the future?
"We just got caught up with the end-of-year financial cycle. We can always do this later after the end-of-year results are published."
If it is not the end of the year, it's the end of a quarter or the 3-year cycle that consumes your time. How better could you invest your time and resources to move beyond basic maintenance functions towards serious analysis and building a secure future based on preventative action?
"We don't have the expertise or the staff to bring on those changes just now."
Alternative: Do you see magical times when you have the resource to drive the change? What can you do right now and every week to build your capacity to create the capability to change?
"We need stronger leaders and teams to see this through; we don't have people of that calibre just now".
Alternative: The Leaders and team managers will never materialise out of thin air. Assess your bright young things and change champions amongst your people and build on that capacity by creating it by developing a cohort of 25% of your early adaptors and high-potential people every six months.
If you need realistic optimists to speak to support you in creating organizational viability, please email us.
I have been talking with existing and potential clients, and the mindsets they are sharing are not all positive and optimistic. There's a surprise. I decided to put this blog post together, and with my 'optimistic' head on, I'd like you to think differently. So, I have some gentle challenges for you and alternatives to some of the pessimistic mindsets I have tracked in conversations, and the media.
In 2022 here are some of the attitudes I have heard of late that stop organizational leaders and managers from changing. How would you gauge commitment to change from these worldview attitudes below? What do you think?
A Pessimistic Mindset and a state of nervous busyness pervade all activity
" We are so busy there is never a good time to introduce change".
"We want this to work and give it a chance, but the window isn't here right now – we have to pick the perfect time to introduce this."
"The economic circumstances are right against us now, and we want to make sure that when we do change, we have the best chance of it being a success."
"We will never know all we need to know to bring this change – we need to study the market and what other people are doing, research literature and case studies to get a really well-informed picture of what we can do."
"This solution would never work for us – we are so different to everybody else in our marketplace."
"It's all very well talking about what works in the commercial sector, but it can never work for us in the public services/NHS/Local Authority/Third Sector [Choose any industry or organization]."
"It is too expensive and takes too much resource and time."
"We just got caught up with the end-of-year financial cycle. We can always do this later after the end-of-year results are published."
"We don't have the expertise or the staff to bring on those changes just now."
"We need stronger leaders and teams to see this through; we don't have people of that calibre just now".
Optimistic: Some gentle reframes
We are so busy there is never a good time to introduce change.
Alternative: You are always going to be busy. You will always find things to fill your time. Only you know whether they are the right way of investing in your future. How about taking a step back and doing something different? Investing in prevention and building a robust culture may be advantageous.
"We want this to work and give it a chance, but the window isn't here right now – we have to pick the perfect time to introduce this."
Alternative: The right window of opportunity may never be available – you must choose to shape your future while keeping all the balls in the air. Do you have to ask whether there ever is perfect timing?
"The economic circumstances are right against us now, and we want to make sure that when we do change, we have the best chance of it being a success."
Alternative: Whenever will the right economic environment be there for you? When will the circumstances be perfect for you?
"We will never know all we need to know to bring this change – we need to study the market and what other people are doing, research literature and case studies to get a really well-informed picture of what we can do."
TBH, it does not matter how much time you devote to this; there are always new papers, books and research to keep you updated. When will you be brave enough to know when to stop looking and decide to commit and take action?
"This solution would never work for us – we are so different to everybody else in our marketplace".
Alternative: Give it a chance, examine the benefits, and see how solutions can be designed and created to fit your circumstances, culture, and vision for the future.
"It's all very well talking about what works in the commercial sector, but it can never work for us in the public services/NHS/Local Authority/Third Sector [Choose any industry or organization]."
Alternative: Give it a chance. How different are you really from other organizations? You have clients, suppliers, users and customers like everybody else. You achieve your results through your leadership, people and teamwork. There are no fundamental differences here that can be resolved with thoughtful planning and a commitment to implementation rather than endless talking and inaction.
"It is too expensive and takes too much resource and time."
Alternative: It might appear too expensive, but what will it cost you in the longer term if you fail to deal with those challenges currently holding you back and inhibiting your growth and viability in the future?
"We just got caught up with the end-of-year financial cycle. We can always do this later after the end-of-year results are published."
If it is not the end of the year, it's the end of a quarter or the 3-year cycle that consumes your time. How better could you invest your time and resources to move beyond basic maintenance functions towards serious analysis and building a secure future based on preventative action?
"We don't have the expertise or the staff to bring on those changes just now."
Alternative: Do you see magical times when you have the resource to drive the change? What can you do right now and every week to build your capacity to create the capability to change?
"We need stronger leaders and teams to see this through; we don't have people of that calibre just now".
Alternative: The Leaders and team managers will never materialise out of thin air. Assess your bright young things and change champions amongst your people and build on that capacity by creating it by developing a cohort of 25% of your early adaptors and high-potential people every six months.
If you need realistic optimists to speak to support you in creating organizational viability, please email us.
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