Those of you in change management know that it’s not an overnight change. Whether it’s introducing new systems, merging two businesses or changing culture, it’s a process.
The red ribbon day where the new businesses become one may be the official date where the new entity starts to exist, but everyone ever involved in mergers knows that it’s only the beginning. Of years of integration of people, systems and culture.
What if we applied the same reality to ourselves, our businesses, our communities, our families?
If we make today the first day of our new way of being – where will it lead us?
Many of us may still have remnants from the year passed. Stuff that’s holding us back, shading our outlook. If that’s the case for you or your business, let’s reframe it: what if some of the stuff that happened was not the end of the world, but a transition?
At the Danish Christmas service last year, the minister had a theme that inspired me. She spoke about how it’s nearly rude when we tell each other “it’s not the end of the world” – because, in those situations, the one who has lost their job, a friend or an opportunity does feel devastated. And we’re brushing it off, minimising it with our statement.
But as time passes, we may indeed be able to see ourselves, that more than “undergang” (the end, going under) it may have been “en overgang” (a transition, passing through). We transitioned into something new, another situation is now our reality and we’re making the most of it. Often, we transition into ways of being, doing and having that are way better for us than before – seen in the rear-mirror it may indeed have given us the opportunity for a positive, new start.
With that frame of mind, what do you want this year to be? How do you want the next 5 years to be? Or more importantly, WHO do you want yourself to become?
Set the intentions for yourself, your business, your community, your family. It is extraordinary how much we can change when we set a clear direction, a strong intention and a chunked-down action plan. It is the small changes that add up. Like for a merger of two companies, it’s you merging old and new.
And it always is a transition. Very seldom will it be an overnight success (well, they always are 10 years in the making!). What’s possible if yesterday, the last year or the last decade was not “undergang”, the end of something? What’s possible if today is the first day of “en overgang”, a transition? I’m looking forward to the long-term intentions being set this month.