With the pace of change accelerated for most people, the importance of following a process becomes an important, critical and really effective tool to deal with it.
“The Process Is as Important As the Results It Produces”
How does anyone navigate change, be it business or personal? Changing jobs, lifestyle, health, where you live, and the unexpected are all a part of our lives today in a more relentless way than ever before.
Just spoke to an old high school friend, who made a bad decision to practice medicine in the wrong way and just lost her license. A seasoned HR professional was just let go after being at the same company for 16 years. An unexpected visit to the doctor by a childhood friend revealed a serious fight with cancer that she is winning. A 50% drop in business by a well established company who did not keep pace with the trends might have to close its doors.
Change.
The cheese moved.
The situation unexpectedly shifted.
A radical new reality is now in place.
What do you do? You follow a process and move through and with your new reality.
A process offers a set of steps, protocols, principles that go into place in a sensible order. They are designed to restore perspective, functionality, effectiveness, efficiency and well being. Regardless of the situation, defining the process, implementing it and regularly monitoring it can give order and meaning to the results.
Are you following a process, stuck or aimlessly drifting?
I review these areas to make sure my process stays on track.
Making sure that “My Vision” is clear about what I do and what I am supposed to be doing. It makes it easier to stick with it and persevere.
Making sure that “My Mission” is clear about why I am doing what I am doing. It is about making money but helping people is my why.
Constantly reviewing that “The Fundamentals” are in place for doing exceptional work and following the best practices that are available today.
Staying on top of and following “The Trends” forces me to pay attention to change and keep up with it?
Staying focused on serving “My Target Market” to grow my business, build community, engagement and good will.
Nurturing and having “A Mindset and Attitude” that is positive, authentic and kind.
That doctor friend of mine, who lost her license is learning new sales and marketing skills representing a direct selling product and feeling quite re-energized. The seasoned HR professional is building a consulting practice specializing in coaching and training people through career change. That childhood friend who has been fighting cancer is improving and enjoying picking apples and milking a cow with her family. The established business has rejuvenated their marketing, product delivery and social media engagement.
That’s the beauty of a process. It guides and moves us naturally through change.
Deborah Shane is the Author of Career Transition-make the shift, a media host, speaker and branding consultant and strategist. She hosts a weekly Blog and is in her third year of hosting a weekly business radio show on blogtalkradio.com, which has over 32k downloads. She writes for several national business, career and marketing blogs, and websites including smallbiztrends.com, careerealism.com, BusinessInsider.com, Personalbrandingblog.com and blogher.com. Deborah delivers smart, no-nonsense ideas and solutions, which make her a popular go-to resource for clients, national media and influential blogs. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Blogtalkradio @Deborah Shane, or on the web at DeborahShane.com, or DeborahShaneToolBox.com.
