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Change: Fight It or Invite It or Live Beside It

Welcome to 2021. COVID 19, New Year, New President, New Vice President, New vaccines, New You?

Again, welcome to 2021. It’s a new year and with that we hope new opportunities. New opportunities for success and growth and whatever else this new year will bring.

Yet, none of that is assured. What is assured and very well so guaranteed this change. If 2020 taught us anything it is that change can happen at the drop of a dime and more change will follow right. So why would 2021 be any different?

It will not be different. It will also be different. That’s what change does. So, expect 2021 to be full of change. Anyone and I do mean anyone who believes doing nothing different in 2021 is in for rude awakening. 2021 is already proven to be the year of change.

Sure, we’re still dealing with the fallout from last year. Yet, their sales so much more that’s coming because of that fallout. How we approach that change and how we deal with change will make all the difference. This is nothing new. I have been, for the longest time, making it battle cry to get people prepared for change. To realize that change is going to happen whether they like it or not.

Yet, year after year, month after month, and day after day it continues to fall on deaf ears and here, we find ourselves again. So, what is one more time? While there are some people that I would like to beat it into their thick skull but I cannot as that is called assault and the judicial system highly frowns upon that. So, here I go again.

As the title states when it comes to change you can either fight it or invite it or live beside it. There is nothing you can do about. Change is going to happen. So, of the three things I mentioned that you can do what you decide is up to you but ignoring it is not an option. Ignoring change is inviting the dark side to creep in. The dark side is no place for leaders, current or future leaders.

Fight it: by this I mean, you will have to fight it to the point that you get your results, your expected/anticipated results. By fighting change you will take control and have the power to direct its outcome in your favor. Fighting change means the results that occur all your results. You get to direct the outcome of the change. Failing to fight it means it’s happening and you are going to have to accept the end results.

Invite it: Inviting change means you are accepted the fact that change is coming and it’s going to happen. It does not mean you’re going to roll over and take it what it does mean; you are preparing for the generally accepted outcome. It also means that you recognize the need for change and the resistance usually associated with change will not come from you. You are ready to “roll with the punches” no matter how hard they hit.

Live Beside It: a living beside change does not mean that you’re rolling over and playing possum and allowing change to have its way with you. Living beside change means that you have accepted the fact that you are powerless to control, manipulate in any shape or form, change. Living beside change means you are prepared for the inevitable, no matter what that change is.

Now, the ball is in your court. You need to decide how you’re going to except and deal with change in 2021. I cannot do it for you, you have to do it for yourself.

There is a lot of work to do! Get to work!

-Dave

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Leaders and The New Winds of Change

weather vane in the wind
Photo by Jordan Ladikos on Unsplash

CHANGE is the word of the day. For many out there believe if they hold their breath long enough this latest “wind of change” will blow over. Well, not this time. Folks, especially those that feel their OLD WAYS (a.k.a. the old we’ve always done it this way and the old if it ain’t broke don’t fix it) are threaten to cease existing.

Guess what? You and those like you have had your heads so far up your four points of contact that when you pop it out I will happily be the one to tell you: IT IS ALL BROKEN and there is no going back.

The “winds of change” are blowing all over the planet and no pandemic, no closed-mindedness. nor preconceived ideas & outdated ideologies will stand in its way.

As a leader you must have that open mind and believe that the coming change is the natural progression of our existence as human beings. For a few short weeks not so long ago, we stood together in defense of microscopic virus that has the potential to wipe every human off the face of the Earth.

Think “War of the Worlds” kind of scenario in this case we, Earthlings, are the invading Martians. It was the simple microbe that almost wipes the invaders out. But, we do not have the luxury of jumping into a rocket ship and going home. We are home. Now in the midst of all this we stand apart.

Now, as we start to see signs of beating back the pandemic some imbecile with complete disregard for human life, dignity, and humanity goes off and kills someone. Someone that imbecile sworn an oath to protect and serve. That someone was George Floyd. We all know that when George Floyd woke up that morning quite possibly the last thing on his mind was that “today, will be the day that he would change the world“. Yet, he is gone and the world is changing.

As LEADERS, you have a duty to ALL those you to lead to lead by example. Be the first to embrace the coming change. Do not embrace change because it is the right thing to (because it is) and not because it is the cool thing to do (because it is) but because as times change a real leader must accept change. Even if sometimes that change is not to their liking and the cold hard fact is: CHANGE DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN WHAT ANYONE THINKS!

So, if you want to continue being a LEADER, then get up, get out there and LEAD THE CHANGE FROM THE FRONT!

Yes, it is that simple!

Thank you for your time,

David Guerra, MBA

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Humans are Irrational and emotional. Focus On The Rational by David Guerra (06/100)

When we are young one thing is certain: WE HAVE HUGE EGOS! Our egos are so huge that it is a miracle that we survived. As Stinger (James Tolkan) told Maverick (Tom Cruise) in the motion picture, TOP GUN (1986), “Son, your ego is writing checks your body can’t cash!” Lucky for Maverick, he never cashed in or out (depends on how you look at it.)

It was a matter of time before our ego caught up with us or we out grew the false bravado and façades to be come the rational and in-control individuals we have become.

There is one thing to remember: we never grow up. There is always something or someone that will trigger your ego and there we go with irrational, emotional behavior. Sad but true. For some, it may be quicker and for others it may take a little more prodding but it will happen.

That’s OK, we are only human after all. We are not perfect. Sure, many want to believe they are perfect. Yet, perfection is subjective and thus; no one is perfect. I am not perfect; you are not perfect. Did I mention I am not perfect?

By recognizing we are not perfect and there will be times when we become irrational & emotional, we can then to work on improving ourselves. We can begin work on the rational. By being aware and cognizant that by being rational focusing on that, we can accomplish more, we can be more.

By learning the valuable lessons that come with falling into the trap of being/becoming irrational then we can focus on the rational. The focus we have, built on the mistakes and actions of the past, will only work if we can admit to ourselves that we messed up, that we fell victim to our ego, that we cannot blame anyone else for our own failures and shortcomings.

It is not easy for some people to confront themselves over the fact that the ego can be manipulated, easily triggered. Once we can overcome that hurdle then can we make some serious change to our life process. That is if you want to make a conscious effort to improve and leave the lack of focus, the irrational and emotion in the past, then be ready to work.

While, you will never be completely emotionless. Remember, in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Spock could not complete the Kolinahr, the Vulcan ritual to purge all emotions. He was half-human after all. So, what did he do? The only logical thing. This was to admit that he was also human and proceeded to live his life with his emotions. The learned that emotions were part of who he is and what he will be.

However, because he worked at controlling his emotions, the character of Spock, went on to be better and do better. The same can work for you and you do not have to be half-Vulcan. As a matter of fact, you can be 100% human and work on being clear and level headed.

You can do this by committing to being better, doing better, and working on focusing on the rational. It will serve you well when it comes dealing with people and situations that will tax you. Avoid them while you start the process of focusing on the rational. Of course, you cannot avoid people all the time. However, you can avoid those individuals that would be considered bumps in the road to your success.

Do what it takes with what you have but do not give up hope, deny patience, and most of all stick to your commitment to being successful.