Last week, I attended a workshop called "Managing
Changes" where we discussed about how important it is to anticipate the
change and why we need to be the change driver rather than becoming change
victims. Often we have seen that we find it really difficult to adapt to the
changes happening around us (be in personal or professional space) and this uneasiness
creates problems such as anxiety, stress which further affects us and people
around us.
To elaborate the concept, the trainer played a video - 'Who
moved my cheese' which includes 4 characters: Sniff & Scurry, Hem &
Haw. All of them are fond of cheese and they have found their special cheese in
a maze where big chunks of cheese available. For Sniff & Scurry, cheese was
just an item to eat, whereas for Hem & Haw, Cheese was more than an eating
item. Both Hem & Haw were extremely attached to it. All four of them were
having good time of their life - eating cheese & enjoying their days. For
Hem & Haw, their dependency on their special cheese was such that they believe
- it will always be available there on the same place. They felt very secure
& comfortable in their surroundings. They were not paying attention to what
was happening around them. However, Sniff & Scurry have been inspecting the
area every morning & noticing the changes happening there. One day, when
they arrived at cheese station, they found it vacant with no sign of cheese.
Reacting to this situation, sniff & scurry accepted that change happened.
Without complicating the things, they came out of that cheese station &
went on in search of new cheese station where they can find the cheese.
However, on the other hand, Hem & Haw found it really difficult to accept
that their special cheese which they used to eat daily, is no longer available
in the same place. Hem said "I want the things exactly the same as they
were". The story further went on to show - how Hem & Haw first try to
find the cheese in the same cheese station & then 'Haw' decide. to come out
to hunt for new cheese station in the maze instead of keep waiting over there
& thinking about the rosy picture of past. Here is the video:
So what we need to do if we want to adapt the change:
1) We need to look around us and analyse the situation - are
we getting into some kind of comfort zone? Are we getting used to of it, Is
this comfort zone good for us in long run?
Showing apathy to the things around us is not good. Let's analyse the
situation - to anticipate the change and be mature enough to react accordingly.
2) Accept the change - Be brave enough to accept that
situation around you is changing (or change already happened). Accept it and
analyse what you can do to make it better for you. Don't be scared of
experimenting new things. The world is full of people who anticipated that
change is happening (or needed) and then became the change drivers. It is up to
us, what we want to become - victim of change or change drivers. I think, even
if we accept the change & try to get the best out of that existing
situation (to make it better for us & society) then we are change drivers
not the change victims. For e.g. it is still acceptable when Hem & Haw
decided to dig the same cheese station where they used to eat daily. Why
acceptable - because they were TRYING.
3) Let's not get carried away thinking too much about the
things of the past (like HEM in this video). Take learning from the past and
move on. That is the best thing you can say to yourself. Life never stops and
neither it should. Practically, we can say that sometime we have no other
option than to accept the change - fair enough, let's accept it and find new
avaneus (like 'Haw' did).
Here are some famous quotes, which remind us how important
is to adapt to the changes.
"Change is the only constant thing in the world"
"Be the Change that you want to see in the world" -
Mr. Gandhi
"Without change, there is no innovation, creativity, or incentive
for improvement. Those who initiate change will have a better opportunity to
manage the change that is inevitable" - William G. Pollard
"You will never change your life until you change something you do
daily" - John C. Maxwell
Here are some more examples of those who anticipate the changes, accepted them and found new avenues for the betterment of themselves & to their society at large.
Please watch this inspiring video and share your thoughts.
