This week I attended a training for the local electric utility
on the skills and resources for thriving in a world of
constant change.
What struck me is that I never thought about a utility
having to cope with "too much change!" It's not like we're
going to stop using electricity or their customers are all
going to a competitor! They dam a river that's been around
for a million years, they make electricity, send it through
the power grid and bill their customers. How stable is
that?!
Yet even the electric utility industry is swamped by
change. People come and go. Regulations, standards and new
software over-whelm them. And of course, there is
competition from other energy sources, so even in the
stable world of electric energy, the stress is enormous.
How about in your world?
Constant change both thrills and threatens us. We love the
new opportunities, but too often we end up running as fast
as we can just to stay even. New competitors, new tools and
new skills challenge us every week. I'm typing this on my
brand new laptop and I love it! But it's taken me three
days just to configure the stupid thing, and it still
doesn't "look and feel" quite right! Change is the constant
in our world.
Here's the thing: We want to grow and develop! We want new
tools, new adventures and new resources. Most of the time,
we welcome change with open arms. But, sometimes it's just
too much. We've become infatuated with anything "new"
whether it enriches our lives or not.
Sometimes the "old" is good enough. Sometimes the familiar
is more comfortable and actually more effective. I have a
friend who uses an old-fashioned slide-rule partly for the
nostalgia, but also because it's faster than doing
calculations on his computer. Sometimes, the old is good.
Here are three suggestions for thriving on change:
1. Maintain lots of "personal bandwidth." That means
taking superb care of yourself! People who are happy,
healthy and rested simply do better than people who are
tired, hungry, stressed or worried. Practice extreme self-
care. Maintain your personal bandwidth.
2. Celebrate the Big Picture. Know what's going on and
understand the context of your world. Remember, some people
lead, other's follow, and some just don't have a clue. Be a
leader! And that means seeing the big picture, knowing
where your world is going, and being out in front.
3. Invest in Tools. Knowledge and skills matter! The more
you know about your industry and what's happening (and
who's leading), the more options you have. Remember,
"leaders are readers." And I love the quote from
Buckminster Fuller: "You can't learn less."
on the skills and resources for thriving in a world of
constant change.
What struck me is that I never thought about a utility
having to cope with "too much change!" It's not like we're
going to stop using electricity or their customers are all
going to a competitor! They dam a river that's been around
for a million years, they make electricity, send it through
the power grid and bill their customers. How stable is
that?!
Yet even the electric utility industry is swamped by
change. People come and go. Regulations, standards and new
software over-whelm them. And of course, there is
competition from other energy sources, so even in the
stable world of electric energy, the stress is enormous.
How about in your world?
Constant change both thrills and threatens us. We love the
new opportunities, but too often we end up running as fast
as we can just to stay even. New competitors, new tools and
new skills challenge us every week. I'm typing this on my
brand new laptop and I love it! But it's taken me three
days just to configure the stupid thing, and it still
doesn't "look and feel" quite right! Change is the constant
in our world.
Here's the thing: We want to grow and develop! We want new
tools, new adventures and new resources. Most of the time,
we welcome change with open arms. But, sometimes it's just
too much. We've become infatuated with anything "new"
whether it enriches our lives or not.
Sometimes the "old" is good enough. Sometimes the familiar
is more comfortable and actually more effective. I have a
friend who uses an old-fashioned slide-rule partly for the
nostalgia, but also because it's faster than doing
calculations on his computer. Sometimes, the old is good.
Here are three suggestions for thriving on change:
1. Maintain lots of "personal bandwidth." That means
taking superb care of yourself! People who are happy,
healthy and rested simply do better than people who are
tired, hungry, stressed or worried. Practice extreme self-
care. Maintain your personal bandwidth.
2. Celebrate the Big Picture. Know what's going on and
understand the context of your world. Remember, some people
lead, other's follow, and some just don't have a clue. Be a
leader! And that means seeing the big picture, knowing
where your world is going, and being out in front.
3. Invest in Tools. Knowledge and skills matter! The more
you know about your industry and what's happening (and
who's leading), the more options you have. Remember,
"leaders are readers." And I love the quote from
Buckminster Fuller: "You can't learn less."
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