Survival, Not Mandatory
One of my all-time favourite quotations finds a prominent place at my workstation. It’s by the legendary Quality guru – W. Edwards Deming :
It is not necessary to change;
Survival is not mandatory.
Now, I have always prided myself on my openness to change. So, it came as a bit of a surprise to me to see my own reaction when faced with an organizational change of considerable span and significance.
The entire structure of the org had changed overnight.
And with it, changed the lives of more than 3,000 employees!
Suffice it to say that every one’s comfort zone was shaken-up and stirred. People were shunted around cities, and found themselves handling markets they had never worked in before. Key managers were posted in positions that they did not have had previous experience with. And, if you were lucky, you continued handling the same portfolio you did last year, but under a different department or a new boss. The world started looking a wee bit different to just about every one. I’m sure it was all done for good reason. But then, who’s asking?
The basic problem is that almost every one resists change – of almost any kind. As a result, general sentiment starts becoming negative, and people start reading between the lines (where none exist). Productivity suffers, and fears and (mis) apprehensions start creeping in people’s minds. Some even begin looking for options “in case things don’t work out”.
I myself went through some of that, just a few days ago. My rational self explained it away by telling myself that I am merely weighing the pros and cons of it all. But, the fact of the matter is, deep down, I was a bit apprehensive – What would the future have in store for me? How would my world change? Will it all work out for the better? Questions, questions and more questions?
Personally, what helped me overcome these misplaced fears was my belief in myself, and the tremendous joy I get from learning new things with each new experience! Change is, after all, an inevitable part of Life. It is simply futile to resist it. Best you can do is embrace it, stay relevant and keep evolving…
well written ! eloquently captures the feelings of those who face change
Nice post. For more on Deming see: http://curiouscat.com/guides/deming.cfm
Major changes at my work place as well. You’ve summarized my feelings exactly!
There’s a beautiful writ on a particular CEO, (can’t recollect the name ); on change. ‘ He remembers as a kid, he used to deliver milk. He stopped at many a homes,plunked his ladle into his drum and poured milk into containers.Every time he did that (quoting him)”though the liquid changed containers, the cream at every transaction; though pulled down for sometime; rose to the top.’Changes happen, departments change, companies rise and fall. But only the cream, go down and rise again to the top.