DIAMONDS - Change Can Be Hard Too

Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring substance known to humans.

For us science geeks, it is a solid form of the carbon element with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure known as diamond cubic, formed during years of pressure.

But diamonds are not the only hardest naturally occurring item known to mankind......CHANGE can be very hard for humans. Even the idea of change can send the strongest leaders into a level of doubt and fear.

We're all arguably called to lead at some point during our life, whether that be within our family, church, community, or managing a multi-million organization. And one of the hardest tasks to do as a leader is to LEAD CHANGE.

Often, I get asked to speak on this topic and following are a few of the insights I share.

Insight #1 - CHANGE HAPPENS

Change is one of the few constants in both work and life. Whether we seek change or change finds us, we must face the change that slows progress, personally and professionally. The amount of time spent implementing change is surprisingly high and the quality of our lives can improve simply by accepting this simple truth.

Insight #2 - PRIORITIES

This is a word often spoken but less frequently acted upon. The dictionary describes the word priority as a precedence in date or position. I simply describe it as a level of importance. It has been illustrated with big rocks, smaller rocks, and sand pebbles which symbolize the level of priority.

Why are PRIORITIES important when experiencing change? Because during the process of change, there is a daily whirlwind that occurs around us. Unless we're clear on what's important now (the big rocks) we may be caught up doing sand pebble activity when we should be focused on the bigger rock (think path of least resistance, which is usually the pebble). I must mention, that there is a time we must address the pebble but not for the sake of ignoring my bigger rocks.

Why CAN the idea of PRIORITIES be hard? Partly because we have more information available than ever before in history, but less thinking and clarifying our priorities, especially when it comes to adapting to change, can be difficult.

Insight #3 - DELAYED GRATIFICATION

The final insight I'd like to share in this article goes against the grain of our current society because we have been conditioned to expect results......NOW!!!

NOW is in the messaging we are being hit with daily, from every angle, and it's recently manifested in the palm of my hand (if I cannot find what I want within thirty-seconds on my phone, something is wrong).

However, the mighty oak tree does not grow overnight and our greatest changes take time.

I've seen organizations (and individuals) exchange long-term gains for lesser because it was a quicker change process. Don't take me wrong, I'm all about efficiency, but we must evaluate if the delayed gratification of our change outweighs the shorter, easier path.

So, whether we are leading change within our family or a multi-million dollar business, change can be hard......but diamonds are a beautiful thing. Change can also be a beautiful thing when handled correctly.

#change #transition #changelikeachampion #diamonds