Put your hand up if you have bought a new suit recently? Or have you had a different hair cut in the last six months?
None of us likes change. We become comfortable in our little bubble. But we have to change in order to survive. It was Charles Darwin who coined the phrase “the survival of the fittest”. Those of us in life who are successful are the ones who have learnt to evolve, to adapt, and to embrace new ideas.
Philosopher Eric Hoffer wrote, “In times of massive change, it is the learner who will inherit the Earth, while the learned stay elegantly tied to a world that no longer exists."
How does this relate to your business?
You may have staff members who have been with you a long time. Have they grown along with the business? Are their minds open to change, or are they actually holding you back? Usually it is the responsibility of the manager or owner of the business to implement new strategies. It is not time or cost effective to spend days training staff who are resistant to growth. You need to be pursuing your vision for the company, channelling your energies into more productive areas.
This is where a coach is useful. If a staff member is valuable, then a coach can spend time with them, working on their professional development and growth. I use different tools in my coaching sessions to identify strengths and weaknesses of individual employees. Retraining an individual who actively resists new methods is not the answer. It is a waste of resources to send him on a course to be re-energised if he is not open to learning.
I identify first whether or not these individuals are receptive to moving forward. If not, I may recommend that they redirect their energies into a more suitable area. It is a win/win situation. The owner is able to look for someone who will embrace the dynamism of the company as it expands; the employee can find a job which is a better fit with their aspirations and needs.
Today a good leader needs to be many things. In a rapidly-changing world he needs to be an anchor for his staff. He needs to inspire and motivate people, but he also needs to be a good listener and a good mentor. If he has encouraged his staff to develop professionally they will more readily embrace new ideas.
Remember: “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether this happens at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps on learning not only remains young, but becomes constantly more valuable regardless of physical capacity.” (Harvey Ullman.)
Kool Results
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1 comment:
I'm pretty sure it was Herbert Spencer who coined the phrase "survival of the fittest," though I understand Darwin employed it in later editions of Origin of Species.
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