I have
always been one to believe that anything is possible. My training in yoga and Reiki teaches us that
we are masters of our own destiny and that our realities are the direct
projection of our thoughts. This may
seem a little fantastic to some, but this metaphysical concept can be applied
to real life. The question you have to
ask yourself when you make a million excuses for not changing something is not “why
can’t I?” but instead “why not?” Every
invention and every discovery made did not exist until it was invented and
discovered. Therefore, my reaction to
some of the excuses listed in the 50 Reasons Not to Change graphic created by
Dr. Watkins is of disbelief (Watkins,
2011). I don’t believe colleagues
when they give their reasons not to change. I believe they have a fear, I believe that
they are not confident, and I even believe that they believe the reason they
are giving. But I am of the mindset that
if there is a will, there is a way, and history has proven this.
With that
said, I have been guilty of using many of the reasons given in the slide show
as an excuse not to change something. But
in my heart, I know that it is only an excuse. I understand that most of the reasons that I
have not changed something in my life are because of a fear of failure. It’s easier not to try, then to try and fail. But I also believe that if I want something
bad enough, I can make it happen.
I think
one way to overcome the negative thought process that creates those responses
to change efforts is to look for people who have been successful. In today’s technologically advanced world, you
can find an individual who has succeeded in something you want to do or
something similar. Just by finding that
kindred spirit, it can help propel you into action. Seth Godin talks about this same concept of
connecting with others who think the same way as you and to be inspired and
moved to make change because of a sense of belongingness (Godin, 2009). It’s also important to understand why you need
a change to happen. Godin uses the
example of Nathan Winograd who changed the way society dealt with stray
animals. Everyone understood the need
for the SPCA, too many dogs and cats on the streets. But Nathan made communities question how this
problem was being solved. He needed a
change in this process because he could not accept the reality that innocent
dogs and cats were being killed. Therefore,
a change happened. In my position, many times I ask my Director why we follow
certain procedures. When I feel
something is inefficient or unethical, I question it. Many times she has told me that it is the way
things have always been done. I then
suggest alternatives to do it better. I
realized in my office, since she was usually a one-man show, that sometimes she
just didn’t have time to think about other ways of doing things or the time to
implement new ways of doing things. I on
the other hand, prefer to spend the extra time to make the changes if in the
long run they will deem my job easier.
I
definitely agree with Godin’s statement that change is driven by tribes. Watching his video reminded me of a quote by
Margaret Mead “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens
can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that has” (as cited by Taylor,
2010). All great movements have started with small
tribes. Women’s rights, the end of slavery,
civil rights, all of these movements started with one person who was not happy
with the status quo. They reached out
into the communities and found others who did not like the status quo either,
and so on and so forth. Sometimes people
are afraid to change, but when they see they are not alone, they are able to
see through those excuses. Godin makes
an important statement when he says “the movement
you create isn't for everyone, it's not a
mass thing. That's not what this is about. What it's
about instead is finding
the true believers”. Great
important changes that are everlasting are not made because people are forced
into making the change but because they believe. It is the power of passion that really propagates
change.
My
takeaway from this video is that all the resources I need to make meaningful
change are to find those kindred spirits who believe the same thing. This video actually inspires me to question
the status quo. At my organization, many
of us are already doing this. When I am
unhappy about something I reach out to my coworkers and get their opinions. Many times I see that they feel the same way I
do. I am lucky, because my Director is
not afraid to question things in our office. Although we haven’t seen great changes in some
of the things that we feel are important, we have been heard. I hope with time, when our pleas are heard
throughout the organization from all the other “believers” that those who control how changes are made
will also believe.
References
Watkins, D. (2011). 50 reasons not to change [PowerPoint
slides]. Retrieved from http://prezi.com/z2v2cvo4t9tc/50-reasons-not-to-change/
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