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Is all change really good?

At my job, I constantly hear the phrase "change is good." I don't believe that all change is good. My supervisor put on my evaluation that I did not accept change, which is untrue. How is it that change is good? The change Hitler made to Germany was not good. Productive change is good, but negative change is not. I am feeling insulted.


Dave's Answer:

Well, that's an interesting question!

First off, I think it's a bit much for you to draw the comparison between the kind of change that's likely to be occurring in your business and the kind of evil change that Hitler brought to Nazi Germany. When your boss says that change is good, he's not making a blanket statement that all change, regardless of what, is a good thing.

You know that, though, and I expect you're just trying to exaggerate for effect. Okay, I'll cut you some slack in terms of how you worded your question! :-)

Let's talk about this, though. I presume that you recognize that every day brings new and different experiences to even the most pedestrian life. Quick example: Even if you drive the exact same route to work every day, you constantly experience change in the traffic patterns, roadway, traffic lights, and weather. Change happens, whether you want it to or not, and even more so in the workplace.

What your boss is really talking about is whether you're flexible enough to adjust to the inevitable changes at work, and I'll ask that same question too. If you've finally figured out how to be maximally efficient in your job and think that it's smooth sailing from that point on, for example, you're fooling yourself, because you're making a huge, false assumption, that things won't change.

See what I mean?

Given that change is the natural state of things and is inevitable, you have two choices in terms of how you handle it: you can embrace change, or you can reject it. Use the former approach and I predict you will excel at your job and career. Choose the latter and you'll either end up fired or will never get a promotion.

In the end, I think that the question you should be asking isn't whether change is good, but how you can deal with change given that it's inevitable?

Good luck, and I hope this helps explain what your boss is talking about...


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Categorized: Business and Management   (Article 7205, Written by )
Tagged: business, change, management, progress
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Reader Comments To Date: 1

Allen Williams said, on March 21, 2007 9:54 PM:

All 'blanket' statements are false :-)

While I'd agree that saying 'all change is good' is certainly a stretch, I
also agree with Dave's take that the appearance of inflexibility and a
closed stance to change in general is only going to hold anyone back.

What works now, may or may not work tomorrow. It may work but not work as
well or help you to remain competitive.


While still working in radio our stations underwent a format change that was
instituted at 6am one morning by the station manager/owner without having
even mentioned any of this to anyone, and I mean anyone on the staff.

Change may have been necessary. It may have been for the better, but
implementation of any change needs to be orchestrated.

One thing about change in any organization is that it needs to be needed,
understood, explained beforehand, and implemented in a timely and orderly
fashion.

Also, being open to change doesn't have to mean you're wide open, will
accept anything at any time, but being closed to change makes you look like
a roadblock to any organization's future growth and development.

Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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