Image courtesy of Ambro – http://www.freedigitalphotos.net”
Change is not easy. This fact has been hammered home in almost every industry and sector. For all the “hard” or “chaotic” parts of change, we often forget the incredible opportunity to influence outcomes. I had a recent experience that drove this point home.
While at a meeting of colleagues I was getting frustrated with my perceived lack of progress. We were all talking about different possibilities and ways to move forward with technology, but I didn’t think we were getting anywhere. At one point, in frustration, I thought to myself, “This is pointless, why am I even taking part in this process.”
I was able to answer my own question right away. These “messy” parts of change are incredible opportunities to influence decisions and also make sense of questions. What I failed to realize was that the conversation was a group of people making sense of unknown topics together. There is no “right” answer, we come to consensus through the discussion.
I saw this later in the week when I realized that as a result of being a part of the conversation I was better prepared to share my vision of how we should move forward. I also realized that my opinion was largely influenced by the conversation. I not only was able to put my thoughts forward, but accepted the opinions of the others.
The lesson I learned is to be continue to be a part of the change process. Get into the discussions and keep in mind that you are influencing the future.
Corey Haley 