The Times They Are a-Changin’

It is an accepted adage that the only constant in this world is change. Pritchett and Pound build on this precept as they advise workers, “change is dynamic and here to stay; controlling emotions helps workers to control the fluid situation; progress often masquerades as trouble; company changes require that workers also change; problems are a natural side effect of implementing change.” (Pritchett and Pound, as cited by Moran, et al. 2011) Gone are the days when a person went to work for a company out of college and retired after 40 years with a gold watch and a rock-solid company pension. No longer can someone graduate from high school, walk into a high paying, union-protected job in a manufacturing plant and be set for life. Times have changed. Economies have changed. Employers needs and demands have changed. In order to be successful in this changed, and ever-changing world, workers and leaders must adapt. Pritchett lists 13 ground rules for success in this changing world. Several of these ground rules are especially relevant.

 “Stay in school – lifelong learning is essential” (Pritchett, as cited by Moran, et. al 2011). Successful leaders, whether domestic or global, never stop learning. They realize the necessity of gathering every possible fact and opinion in the decision-making process. They also realize, in a multicultural setting, the importance of receiving input from all the various cultures represented. Leaders are “first and foremost learners”. (Moran, et. al, 2011) Being willing to learn does not show weakness in a leader. In fact, quite the opposite. It demonstrates that they are confident enough in their leadership abilities to be open to learning new information, integrating that information into their leadership practices, and improving their leadership skills. The mark of a great is leader is having the “confidence to know what you don’t know” (Allen, n.d.).

“See yourself as a service center – customers are a source of job security” (Pritchett, as cited by Moran, et. al 2011). The proliferation of communication methods give the old “word of mouth” adage a whole new significance. Thanks to the Internet, Facebook, Twitter, etc., one unsatisfied, disgruntled customer can spread their negative experience to a very broad audience. Conversely, a satisfied, repeat customer can sing your praises to the world. Taking ownership of this fact requires a very different mindset than going to work every day and putting the same bolt in the same hole for eight hours without ever having contact with the person that ultimately relies on that bolt to hold their car together. The leaders and workers who own this change will be successful in the businesses and organizations of the future. 

“Alter your expectations – rely on yourself to develop work skills for success in the information age” (Pritchett, as cited by Moran, et. al 2011). Just as leaders, managers, and workers cannot expect to be with one company for their entire career in today’s business climate, so they cannot expect to be doing the same job for a company during the entirety of their employment. Adaptability is crucial. For example, if the outside sales force is being eliminated in favor of on-line ordering, then sales managers and workers must learn and develop new skills to allow them to continue to provide value to their company. The skills that brought you to a company or organization are most likely not the skills that will keep you there. 

 

The leaders, managers, and workers of today and tomorrow must embrace change. Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change” (as cited by Kerpen, 2014). In an earlier century Ben Franklin was perhaps even more succinct when he said, “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished” (as cited by Kerpen, 2014). At no time in history have their words been more true than they are today. 

References

Moran, Robert T., Harris, Philip R., Moran, Sarah V. Managing Cultural Differences: Leadership Skills and Strategies for Working in a Global World. Burlington, MA: Elsevier, Inc. 2011 – Eighth Edition

Allen, D. (n.d.) The Challenges of Leadership Retrieved August 28, 2014 from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/fa14/olead100/004/content/01_lesson/05_page.html

Kerpen, D. (2014, February 26). 11 Powerful Quotes to Inspire Your Team to Embrace Change. Retrieved February 15, 2015, from http://www.inc.com/dave-kerpen/11-powerful-quotes-to-inspire-your-team-to-embrace-change.html