I believe success is just a fleeting moment when your realities match your expectations.

I also realize, for many, the number of those moments they experience overtime defines what they (and perhaps others) see as a successful life.

So why are some people more successful than others?

I have met many people in many lands over my life and although opportunities for some seem limited, even amongst those in the direst of circumstances, there are some people that make a great success of their life. I am talking about success when it is measured against the relative or real opportunities that exist for individuals due to the circumstances of their existence.

What is it that helps some rise whilst others languish in mediocrity?

Obviously there is no simple answer however I have noticed some common traits in those that succeed.

The first pillar of success (or trait that successful people seem to have) is that: “those who succeed invariably believe that SUCCESS IS A CHOICE”.

I read an article titled “SUCCESS IS A CHOICE!! It is that simple…” by a Jim McGilvary where he told a story of business woman who could not get her business to where she wanted it to be. He said in the article:

“I told her and I am telling you:

• Make no more excuses for not having success

• Hold yourself accountable for the good and the bad

• STOP the negative thinking

• STOP worrying about the “naysayers”

• Laugh in the face of the unknown and…

• Make the choice right now, that you will do what it takes to have success.

He goes on by saying:

“I will leave you with one last thought: To fail is to have tried. To try [in itself] is to have success. You cannot have success without some failure. Choose to try, whether you fail or succeed. You cannot have success without trying. Keep choosing to have success and you will have it. It is as simple as that.”

Now perhaps his advice is a little glib and it is not quite “as simple as that” particularly for those who are very in difficult situations, however if you think about it the logic is quite sound.

So point one is you must choose to succeed.

The second pillar is:

The need to have a STRONG PERSONAL VISION

In the video “The Power of Vision” Joel Barker explores the value of having a strong personal vision of a positive future. He stresses that this is a key, not only to success, but in some cases to survival itself. In one segment he tells the story of Viktor Frankl and says; “this remarkable man is the author of the outstanding book Man’s Search for Meaning.” Frankl he explains was a prisoner in Ausweise and Barker tells how “his strong sense of having a future saved both his life and the life of others.” The survivors had a common trait and he says… and I quote:  “all of those who made it through had [or at least believed they had] something significant yet to do in their future”. A vision of a positive future is a powerful driver in us all.

The third pillar is competence.

All people will naturally gravitate to those whom are competent. So what is competence? “ Competence is: ‘the ability to create and apply a solution to a particular problem’. Whether the problem is a leaky tap or a brain tumour competent people will always be sought after and success usually follows them. How do you become competent, learn, fail, re-learn, adjust, practice and hone your skill and build your knowledge and experience. There are no shortcuts.

The fourth pillar of success (or personal trait) is the ability to win during times of change and uncertainty.

Notice I didn’t say cope. Coping is just not good enough for success, we need to find ways to excel in a constantly changing universe. The skills you will need to do that are primarily an ability to stay focussed on your goals, a willingness to remain optimistic and an attitude of persistence and high levels of commitment. You need to have the strength of character to stay true to your vision even in times of great uncertainty. You will also need to develop an ability to analyze situations, deal with half-truths and minimal information and with all that still seek out and grasp opportunities to thrive.

Finally the fifth pillar is: To be able to work well with others.

That means you have to become a student of (and reach some reasonable level of understanding of) human nature. You must to succeed be willing to engage in politics. Politics is always present when humans are together whether at social outings or in the workplace. As part of working well with others you must become expert in communication… particularly the “learning to listen” part of communication. The are many articles and posts on this website covering the issues (or art) of communication and I commend them to you.

So what is success, other than what I have said so far it’s a lot of hard work, which of course is the reality of our existence… because… nobody… truly gets a free ride. Wait you say what about those that are born into successful rich families. Well they have the same problem as the rest of us, often their realities just do not match up to their (or even others) expectations.

There are a number of simple rules to follow to “prospect” for more buyers without going through the “starting from scratch” phase. It has been my experience that many sales staff forget some of the basics. Attracting buyers far outstrips old cold calling and advertising techniques.

1) ALWAYS ASK FOR AT LEAST ONE REFERRAL. Everybody knows at least one person that they can think of that may be in the market for what you sell (and most will know a lot more). If you close a sale, make a call or talk to anybody about your product or service and if you don’t ask for the name of at least one other prospect or referral may the fleas of a thousand camels may infest the hairy parts of your body and stay there for the rest of your life. This is just a simple act and if you have a good relationship with your customer chance arse he or she will make the introduction for you. So encourage the person you are talking to, to call the next prospect on your behalf, don’t just grab a phone number and run.

2) KNOW THY NEIGHBOUR. Visit your neighbours and say hi and tell them what you do. How many thousands of people work within walking distance of you’re office or factory? Remember this can be a high cost activity and should be used sensibly, HOWEVER… if you do it two days a month, fifteen calls a day, you meet 360 people in a year. What I am saying is get to know your neighbours and help them to get to know you and your business. You could even call it a ‘hello, I’m your neighbour campaign’. The funny thing is that you will meet these people over and over again, at the lunch counter, the bus stop or just in the street on the way to work and they will say Hi… and they will know what you do… and they will at some point say to one of their visitors, ‘I know someone that sells those’, just around the corner why don’t you give them a call.

PEOPLE BUY FROM PEOPLE AND WOULD RATHER BUY FROM PEOPLE THEY KNOW (AND TRUST), REGARDLESS OF PRICE!

3) JOINT VENTURES. Find other companies that sell complementary or related services/products and offer some ‘dollars’ (or physical effort) to be included in their marketing campaign. Look at how credit card companies, airlines and hotels do it. Use your imagination and talk to all your suppliers and customers about their marketing efforts and chances are you will find a few that will provide a way for you to reach lots of people at a minimum cost. This activity can be particularly well used if you can get yourself added to high volume Internet sites. You must add value, so find something that will interest the market… industry stats, legal developments or technical advice and offer it for free. You will, over time, be noticed.

4) SET UP A PERSONAL WEBSITE.  Post useful information for the world to see. Include the site address on everything you hand out. The idea is to provide an information source for people interested in your product or industry. If you’re in, say the car industry… what about a list of repair shops, service station locations, after market parts dealers, baby seat retailers, stereo suppliers, air conditioning service centres, tyre shops, spanner sellers, tune up shops, turbo charger fitters, air fresheners, seat covers and auto clubs. A rainy day can be well spent. Look at it this way, you give out your business card to your buyer, he, she or it looks at your site, he says to a friend look at my new car, the friend says, I wish I could update but I think I’ll just repaint the and reupholster, oh says the your proud customer, you should look at this site its got a great list of car stuff and there is a list of paint shops… and one more person knows who you are and that you sell cars… and they tell one or two others and so it grows.

I MET A GUY THAT HAS BEEN A TOP SALESMAN FOR YEARS, HE STILL KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT COMPUTERS, HE’S JUST LOST ANOTHER JOB… PAST GLORIES AND OLD WAYS OF DOING THINGS WILL NOT SUSTAIN YOU… CHANGE, INNOVATE AND PROGRESS IN YOUR ATTRACTION SELLING TECHNIQUES.

Ref: Hilton Johnson, http://www.salesuniversity.com

I search my dogs for ticks regularly however One-One being so hairy and not yet having had his first clip made the tick hard to find. Even the vet had trouble finding it and said she would have to clip the dog to do so. In the end she fond it without the clip being done.

So I ask again, on behalf of all the other little One-Ones out there does Frontline Plus really work? (One-One is an Anglicized version of the Japanese “Won Won” which is ‘woof woof’ or puppy.)

Any comment on your experience with the Frontline Plus product would be appreciated.

Richard Townsend

Seminars – Some Additional Thoughts

Last post I mentioned seminars. They are such a great way to attract buyer I thought I’d just add a couple of more reasons to get involved.

An additional benefit of giving public seminars or at least being the guest speaker at someone else’s is that the more you engage in this activity the more competent you will become. Lets be honest a key attribute that all buyers are looking for in all sales people is competence. Now one of the fears we all have when speaking or conducting seminars is that we will be confronted by ‘expert’ naysayers. So what can you do? If there are one or two cynics in the audience you can overcome any problem they may cause by only taking questions after the presentation, one on one. To ensure this happens you can say, “I have a limited time to speak however I will remain after in case any of you would like to talk to me personally”. If some smart individual tries to corner you publicly just say that you do not consider it wise to have the entire gathering held up while you answer personal queries. If after some time you feel you can successfully field any ‘difficulties’, allow open questions, HOWEVER don’t feel you must always have a question time after a presentation.

A wise person once said to me… ‘often the things you do for nothing will pay you of the most dividends’. This I have found is also true of seminars. For many years and in more than one industry, I have given talks to small business groups and ‘clubs’ and much of my business has come from this activity. One of the ‘free’ seminars I conducted for a professional group on a quarterly basis lead to a request for an industry magazine article which was then republished across a wide range of industry publications, which again lead to more talks and more business. Sure it’s a bit of work at the start, however it’s a lot less stressful than cold calling for the rest of your life.

Oh! Have a fear of public speaking? Train yourself out of it, or don’t sell, become a ‘techi’ or a ‘number-cruncher’. Sorry, however it’s a necessity for salespeople to be able to hold an audience.

WHO HOLDS REGULAR INDUSTRY MEETINGS, WHAT SEMINARS OR EVENTS ARE COMING UP IN YOUR CITY THAT NEED SPEAKERS? FIND OUT!

Sales lead generators, two quick ideas

Market yourself: by attending networking functions, discussion groups, business luncheons, civic events and conventions and by volunteering to be involved. If a speaker is present, always when you are given a chance, ask a question. To formulate your question listen carefully to what is being said and ask something sensible, the other listeners will be watching you. A good question can attract lots of focus on you and of course hopefully  some potential buyers.

The people you know: can be a great source of business. Attach your business card to everything you send out. I once had a salesperson that attached her business card to her electricity payment every month. The person who processed the payments bought a house from our company. Tell your uncles, aunts, friends and old school mates, what you do and for whom you work. Talk with enthusiasm about your company and products, however remember short is sweet, don’t become a bore and talk about nothing else.

ACTIVITY CREATES SALES, BE ACTIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES AFFAIRS

Sales Idea 1. Newsletters

A periodical ‘Newsletter’ is a great way to generate interest. Most of our customers need information on our industry at least once a year. For example, if you are in the hotel business, financial controllers, training managers and sales conference organisers need to estimate accommodation costs at budget time. Why not become their expert help by providing market trends, pricing and available ancillary facilities in our region. If we’re in the automobile industry how about providing a guide to used car prices so fleet managers can see if they will be better to trade their old cars this year or next year. If we can become (what all good salespeople should be)… an authority in our field and if we can establish ourselves as a useful information resource, prospective customers will seek us out. Now you may think that newsletters are an old fashioned and an outdated method of reaching your potential customers however here are four good reasons the are still important:

i) They maintain top of mind awareness, important for all sales success.

ii) They build the sense of a relationship between the sender and the reader.

iii) They establish, if well written, the sender as an expert in his/her field.

iv) The are (unlike a blog) a proactive form of communication.

A GREAT THING ABOUT NEWSLETTERS, AS THE READERSHIP TENDS TO GROW SO DOES THE BUSINESS.

Sales Idea 2. Seminars

Seminars are a great way to attract interested buyers. Obviously anytime we can get in front of a large group of people (on a reasonably regular basis) some of the audience will be naturally attracted to either us or our product and services. Business talks and Industry events (even Rotary clubs and the like) often provide a great way for us to subtly sell our organisation and ourselves. When you get the chance to speak to a group you are given a great deal of power. Most audiences when they focus on our message (and us) will tend to believe what is said. You must only talk on topics in which you have some genuine expertise. I am assuming of course that as a professional sales person you do know a great deal about your industry…YES! Undoubtedly you are the expert, you must be because you are the writer of the speech and you are the only one who knows what you are going to say. This is especially true when you are talking about your products and services and you are talking on a topic about which most of the listeners will have little or no knowledge. If you are giving presentations in an attempt to prove your expertise to a bunch of other experts in your field it is a waste of time, find opportunities to give talks to potential customers instead.

I KNOW YOU’RE BUSY AND WRITING SPEECHES IS TIME CONSUMING, HOWEVER… DO IT ANYWAY!

refs: http://www.salesuniversity.com  and http://www.smithfam.com/news/s11.html

Problem four: The common difficulty with goal setting is that although you need to focus on the positive (some say in ratio of four to one) often there is little attention paid to assessment of obstacles and the strategies to overcome them. What we need to do is spend a little time in predefining anticipated difficulties or obstacles and allocation the resources that will be needed to overcome them. we may need legal assistance, financial assistance or the cooperation of an already over-stretched production department just to cite a few examples. Lets be honest even with all the positive attitude we can muster we still have to deal with the reality that obstacles are unavoidable and we must spent some energy in planning for them in advance.

Problem five: Little or no serious focus is given to the solutions that need to be developed for overcoming obstacles. I’ve often been in planning meetings and heard the term “lets cross that bridge when we come to it”. If we are going to invest time energy and money into the execution of a plan that attitude is just not good enough. Some sort of scenario development needs to be undertaken an brainstorming for creative solutions needs to be done at the outset, otherwise all investment up to the the point of difficulty can be wasted.

Problem six: Keeping the goal to ourselves either as individual or a small team: Attempting to achieve our gaols alone or with limited resources is fraught with danger. We are all always part of a bigger process and we need to align with those ‘external processes’ and stakeholders if we are to achieve real results at a minimum cost. You need to call on all resources you have reasonable access to the get the best results for the goals you have set.

Problem seven: Not setting and clearly defining the important milestones on our path to achieving the result we (outcomes) we want. I talked in the previous post about objectives and again these have to be clearly defines and measured. Once reached they also need to be rewarded and celebrated.

I guess I could have titled these posts the “Seven Deadly Sins of Goal Setting” and that they may be. Finally it is wise to remember that goals to us may just be seen as onerous targets when other from whom you enlist support and effort. People inherently do not like externally imposed targets, so if you are gong to obtain “real support” for your goals, you have to get others whom you need to buy into your vision and accept the mission that the goals are supporting.

Ric-orglearn The six “Ps” of planning, always important and so is visualising what you want the end result to look like!

So sticking with the goals problem and bearing in mind what I have said, what are the main reasons we fail in our mission and what are the common mistakes we have to watch out for in the goal aspect of our plan?

Problem one: Often we do not spend enough time working on our most focusing on audacious or difficult goal.  Why – easy more comfortable goals can seem more attractive as we get some form of payback in a much shorter timeframe with much less effort.

Problem two: No form of the “SMART” principle is used. SMART stands for “Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Time-bound” If this formulae is not applied to both the activities supporting the attainment of the goal and the goal itself the plan will be nothing more than some wishful thinking or useless navel gazing.

Problem three: Not correctly defining our compelling reasons the goal and not gaining agreement of the implementers of the action plan that the goal is worthwhile for all stakeholders. The goal must clearly be understood and valued in terms of the accepted vision and mission. It is critical that the goal setter clearly defines the benefits so it inspires those take the actions to stay committed to their tasks. Of course not clearly defining the downside and consequence of not achieving the coal can be part of the problem. We must explain both sides of the coin.

Please come back for part two of  “Goal Setting is Just the Start of the Real Work”

The “survive or thrive” checklist

1. Have you given yourself time to think and analyze the new situation (reality) thoroughly calmly and properly?

2. Are you able to ensure you can avoid misinterpretations and have you, through questioning effectively, gathered enough information on how things will be to make a rational decision on what the change will mean to you?

3. Have you looked for the opportunities a changed state will bring you rather than being driven by the fear of negative results being imposed upon you?

4. Have you inserted yourself in the change process so you are able to influence the outcomes that are important to you? (As opposed to becoming a negative, head in the sand naysayer.)

5 Based on what you have understood of your changed reality have you researched what shills you will need to develop to thrive in a new environment?

6. Are you focussing on the long-term or just frazzled by the moment and are you actively planning to ensure your future well being?

7. Are you able to match your values with the new situation if knot have you developed and exit strategy?

8. Have you gathered around you a positive group to ensure you can maintain emotionally supportive relationships during what is a natural period of stress?

Change is the only constant… who said that? Best of luck if you are going through a period of change, try to mange the process well.

Seeing life as a continuous learning experience plus being prepared to change our attitude and to let go of our proven ‘norms’ will not only help us overcome our fear, it will prepare us to deal with a new reality. Example; how many people for years worried about the cold war. Some became so paranoid they dug shelters and stocked them with supplies. Is the world full of holes stuffed with stale or rotting food? The one key to winning during change is to learn how the process is being implemented and to seek new competencies (through training) that you will need to operate in the new environment.

Tip: One great way to become more rational, less fearful and reduce our level of stress and worry during change is to sit and try to think of what we were worried about this time last year. Can’t remember? Most of us can’t. Remember (and believe), this time next year today’s woes will fade also.

In line with the need to see life as a continuos learning experience we should be prepared to fail and then analyse our failures to see how we can do things better the next time. If we are not prepared to fail we will be unable to make decisions and ‘a bad decision is better than no decision at all’. Just imagine if the first time we tried to stand up and because we failed we couldn’t decide whether to try again or not. Think about crawling to work for the rest of your life. How many times do sporting greats fail before they break a world record? Every failed putt, throw of the ball or toss of the javelin leads to a bank of knowledge that improves our performance. You really only fail if you don’t learn from the experience.

Hang on… what about hang gliding? Breaking the change process into smaller digestible pieces is the same principle as learning anything new. The old adage that people learn by ‘littles’ is a truism that can help. If we are going to accept change and overcome our fear we need to jump from small ledges before attempt large cliffs. If we break the change process into its smallest pieces our nervousness will be reduced. It also stands to reason that if we can see where we are going we are more confident than if we are leaping into the dark.

“ONLY I CAN CHANGE MY LIFE. NO ONE CAN DO IT FOR ME” – Carol Burnett

Change – Looking Ahead and Getting Others Involved

If we implement a change process we need to shine a light on the future. The best way is through a plan based on the various scenarios we have regarding the future. We must then effectively communicate a sound vision, develop the plan and succinctly explain the role of each of the stakeholders. This means we have to understand and advise every individual of their role in where they and we are heading. In my experience the only real question ever asked when a meeting on change is held is “WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME”. This question is often disguised as some technical enquiry regarding future operational difficulties… however it is the only question that is on the minds of those involved in change. If we don’t give or get a satisfactory and personal answer to their or our concerns fear levels (and resistance) increase enormously.

A close relative of mine was working for an advertising company that was being taken over, (the Big Change) and I offer the following story for your consideration. At the end of the process he ended up with a better job in the “merged” organization. As the company I was working for at the time was also being taken over I asked his advice. This is what he said, ‘fear of not knowing what is going on leads to resistance so you must be involved in the change process to the point of being seen as an active participant, particularly when critical decisions are made. Don’t avoid your responsibilities, volunteer and devote time to engineering the new situation… help the process don’t hinder it. Don’t hold a false and fruitless loyalty to the way things were. Listen to everything and ask for explanations. Avoid only hearing what your pre-conceived ideas are telling you about what may be happening and constantly seek to understand. Stay open and honest and speak the truth and… the hardest of all… control what you can however let go of that which you cannot’, or as another colleague of mine once put it, “don’t waste your energy fighting battles you can’t win”. It worked well for me!

If the outcomes of inevitable change aren’t the best possible for us, at least we should see what you could learn from the evolving situation. Buy the way I took his advice and ended up with an operation twice the size of that in my pre-takeover company and a much better salary and benefits package to boot.

“THE UNIVERSE IS CHANGE; OUR LIFE IS WHAT OUR THOUGHTS MAKE IT”. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 AD – 180 AD), Meditations

Refs:
Overcoming People’s Fear of Change – Douglas Howardell, http://www.theacagroup.com/overcome.htm
Change Happens, by Joe Flower, http://www.well.com/user/bbear/change1.html
Choosing Strategies for Change, By John P. Kotter and Leonard A. Schlesinger
Harvard Business Review March/April 1979
Organizational Behaviour Stephen P Robbins, Prentice Hall International Editions (seventh edition Part 5)
Change Happens, by Joe Flower, http://www.well.com/user/bbear/change1.html

Firstly often individuals don’t realise that what they are going through is a result of severe pressure that are creating dramatic periods of change in the organisation.

Secondly many implementers do not realise that change for the organisation means dramatic and often difficult periods of change for the individual (either at work or in their personal lives).

Thirdly there is often as a result of a ‘poor’ organisational culture a lack of clarity about the organisations goals and expectations.

Fourthly there is a central problem of poor communication by managers and the organisation.

Fifthly There is poorly planned and poorly implementation of the allocation of tasks usually for which staff are not trained.

Sixthly There is for all the reasons below a natural resistance even outright refusal to cooperate when individuals are being asked to do something very different from their normal tasks.

Of course residence is always an emotional response to the pressures of change!

So what are the reasons for resistance?

(Note regarding 10 points below: Original article is Copyright (c) 2003 A. J. Schuler, Psy. D. Permission is however granted to copy this article as long as the following information is included: Dr. A. J. Schuler is an expert in leadership and organizational change. To find out more about his programs and services,  call (703) 370-6545. or visit  homepahe of full article can be found at http://www.schulersolutions.com/resistance_to_change.html Please note I have edited the article and added some of my own thoughts on residence to change.)

1. THE CHANGE PROPOSED IS SEEN AS GREATER THAN THE RISK OF STAYING THE WAY WE ARE A basic fear of the unknown “Making a change requires a leap of faith” and particularly belief that you will reach a better state. “Making a change is all about managing risk” which is difficult if we are heading into the unknown.

2. WE NATURALLY FEEL CONNECTED TO OTHERS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED WITH THE OLD WAY
“We are a social species.”  “We feel a loyalty to those that guided us and worked with us in the past and we are hard wired that way in its ‘not a trivial’ matter to overcome that natural attribute.

3. PEOPLE HAVE NO ROLE MODELS FOR THE NEW ACTIVITY OR NEW WAYS OF OPERATING
Just communicating a vision is not enough. In the early stages of the change process you must get a core group of influencers on board with your idea, so that you or they can demonstrate how the new way can work.  For most people, seeing is believing.  Less rhetoric and more demonstration can go a long way toward overcoming resistance.

4. PEOPLE FEAR THEY LACK THE COMPETENCE TO CHANGE AND/OR THE ABILITIES  NEEDED TO GAIN THE SKILLS REQUIRED
This is a fear people will seldom admit however, change in organisations necessitates changes in skills and many will feel that they won’t be able to make the transition very well.  A successful change campaign must include effective new training programs.

5. PEOPLE FEEL OVERLOADED AND OVERWHELMED
A change effort, is usually accompanied by a fatigue factor that keeps people from moving forward, even if they are telling you they believe in the wisdom of your idea.  Upheaval is tiring and people may resist change just because they are tired and overwhelmed. The perceived risk in a changed scenario activates people’s fears and the basic fight-or-flight response we all possess will come into play and fear can produce its own fatigue. You’ve got to motivate and praise accomplishments as well, and be patient enough to let people vent (without getting too caught up in attending to unproductive negativity).

6. PEOPLE HAVE A HEALTHY SKEPTICISM AND WANT TO BE SURE NEW IDEAS ARE SOUND
It’s important to remember that few worthwhile changes are conceived in their final, best form at the outset.  Listen to your skeptics, pay attention, because some percentage of what they have to say will prompt genuine improvements to your change idea.

7. PEOPLE FEAR HIDDEN AGENDAS AMONG WOULD-BE REFORMERS
Let’s face it, reformers can be a motley lot.  Not all are to be trusted.  Perhaps even more frightening, some of the worst atrocities modern history has known were begun by earnest people who really believed they knew what was best for everyone else. Many reformers have created chaos in the past.

8. PEOPLE FEEL THE PROPOSED CHANGE THREATENS THEIR NOTIONS OF THEMSELVES
Sometimes change on the job gets right to a person’s sense of identity and even attacks their sense of self worth. As a result, people may feel that the intrinsic rewards that brought them to a particular line of work will be lost with the change.  When resistance springs from these identity-related roots, it is deep and powerful, and to minimize its force, change leaders must be able to understand it and then address it, acknowledging that change does have costs, or conversely (hopefully) larger benefits.

9. PEOPLE ANTICIPATE A LOSS OF STATUS OR QUALITY OF LIFE
Real change reshuffles the deck a bit.  Reshuffling the deck can bring winners . . . and losers.  Some people, most likely, will gain in status, job security, quality of life, etc. with the proposed change, and some will likely lose a bit.Some people will, in part, be aligned against change because they will clearly, and in some cases correctly, view the change as being contrary to their interests.

10.  PEOPLE GENUINELY BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGE IS A BAD IDEA
The truth is, sometimes someone’s idea of change is just not a good idea.  Sometimes people are not being recalcitrant, nasty, or foolish when they resist.  They just see that we’re wrong. ?It pays to be mindful that a failure to listen to and respond to people’s rational objections and beliefs is ultimately disrespectful to them, and to assume arrogantly that we innovative, change agent types really do know best.

CONCLUSION

I am currently involved with a charity organisation that is trying to implement a change process based on a more positive vision of the future. This change process is being undertaken at the behest of the organisation’s international headquarters which has seen a decline in world wide membership numbers. A large number of the ageing members of the club are of course resisting as they want things to stay as they are and have always been. The process has in my estimation been badly managed principally due to a poor level of communication and a perceived lack of transparency. The truth is (as I see it) that a lot of the objectors have been too tired or lazy to get involved in the process and don’t understand the why, let lone the how of the process. Additionally due to the large amount of documentation many just can’t be bothered to keep up with developments. This organisation is in danger of imploding due to a core group of individuals that fall either partly or wholly into one or many of the groups above.

It will be interesting to watch the outcome.

p.s. If all this change is too much you may need this… resume example