Ready, Set, Change – Well Maybe Not

This thing about wanting to make positive changes and then never really engaging is a funny thing about human nature, and about change in general. We know that something is broken; we talk about it at great length and how it’s impacting our ability to produce better. Then, that’s as far as it gets. The action to follow through falls apart, usually with some trumped up reason as to why now is not the right time.

I see this happen in organizations all the time. Things are moving along towards a root cause for a known problem. Great discussion is happening, objectives are being put in place, ideas are flowing and then that’s it. Suddenly, it’s not a good time to proceed. The fear of change is now dominating what was once rational thinking. The path to improvement has been cut off by a realization that this change may have an impact on an individual’s daily routine.

It’s OK for you to change, but don’t mess with my world! The reality is that we all must be open to change. From down in the trenches to the CEO we must realize that we are not perfect and be open to changes in the way we operate. The problem is not only over the wall in marketing, design, test, the business unit or product engineering. The problems we are having in new product development begin right here with each of us. If you can honestly arrive at that realization, change will be natural. Remember - It’s not about you; it’s about us.