Exploring the New
Sceptical of new ideas, preferring to fall back on current knowledge and expertise
If it ain’t broke then fix it. “It” might be working effectively for you now, but it won’t in future if you don’t find ways to keep improving things. Keep looking at ways in which you can innovate to keep improving the “it”. If you don’t, it will break soon. Standing still is not a realistic life option.
You can’t stand still. Maintaining your current life situation, however good it is right now, is not a realistic option. You may not want to change, but others, your family, friends, work colleagues, are changing and this will shift the dynamics within which you operate. Know when to move on before events force you to change. Don’t wait until events have overwhelmed you. You will lose the initiative in deciding how best to take action. Read the signs and anticipate developments to keep control over your life choices. Living in the past or preserving the present are not realistic life strategies.
Don’t be surprised that you are surprised. Understand the fundamental dynamics of change. “Change is the only constant” is both a cliché and a reality. The cliché: much apparent change is little more than more of the same but in a different wrapping. The reality: change which isn’t obvious to you right now is shaping your life circumstances. Change will happen. The issue is: are you in control of change or is it controlling you?
Spot trends before they become life hazards. Keep alert to the opportunities and risks within your field of endeavour. What changes are occurring within the industry in which you operate? What do they mean for you personally? Read the relevant business and professional press to spot those trends that will impact on you directly. Talk to those who are well informed about developments in your field to evaluate the implications for your career. Which activities are becoming less relevant? Which new activities are growing in importance? www.workforceonline.com
Recognise the “tipping points” of life. Big consequences don’t always result from big causes. Often it is the small changes of life that trigger the process of bigger change, the “tipping point” that accelerates rapidly to produce significant outcomes out of all proportion to the original change. Review your life situation to identify opportunities to make the modest changes which have the potential to make a big difference in your life. And spot the small events, which, if unchecked, will trip you up.
Say “yes” instead of “no”. How many times this week and month have you responded to others’ suggestions with a “no” rather than a positive “yes”? No is easy; it requires no commitment and involves no personal risk, at least in the short-term. But “no’s” also close down the options in life, possibilities with the potential to advance your life goals. In the longer-term, a life lived on “no’s” becomes a dull place to be.
Don’t overplay the role of devil’s advocate. Utilise your analytical skills and natural scepticism to evaluate new proposals. But don’t demolish an initial concept by focusing on the flaws and failing to recognise the benefits and opportunities. Apart from dismissing ideas with the potential to evolve into great solutions, you will stop the flow of ideas from others in future.
Make small changes in your life routines. Don’t let habit drive out freshness, spontaneity and originality. Make the little life changes to experiment with a different “slice of life” each day, week and month: when you get up and go to bed, how you dress, what you read and watch on TV, what and where you eat, where you go on holiday, etc. Don’t become stuck in your ways, constrained by familiar and comfortable habits that have now outlived their usefulness.
Don’t keep washing in the same bathwater. Don’t let your thinking get stale. Talk to others, listen to programmes, read newspapers and books with a very different perspective to your current opinions. Don’t keep reinforcing your existing views and beliefs by limiting your information intake to familiar sources. Pull out the plug to let the old water out and turn on the tap of fresh thinking.
If you don’t know the solution then ask someone who does. Out there, among your network of relationships of work colleagues, friends and family, is a smart and creative individual who has faced a similar problem to the one you’re tackling now. Call around to find that individual and discover their insights.
Cultivate contacts with progressive thinkers, individuals in roles or operating in sectors who need to keep up-to-date with fast moving markets. If you’re not naturally strategic or creative, get to know those who are. Ask around and call people for contacts. You will be surprised how willing others are to share their ideas. And be prepared to reciprocate.
Build your own “think tank”. The think-tank is your collection of innovative individuals, a group who can provide fresh thinking and a sounding board for your own ideas. Make it a priority to know the innovative people within your professional area. Read their work and email them with your observations to begin building a relationship. Call them to ask about their current priorities. And share your own interests. Over time you will build a network of talented individuals willing to share their insights, ideas and experiences.
Keep an ideas pad. Scribble your thoughts and intuitions down immediately. Make notes from conversations, articles and books, the ideas which pop into your head from nowhere. Every few days scan through your notes and write down any additional thoughts. Don’t use scraps of paper that will get lost. Buy a decent notebook and keep your thoughts in one place. Review your pad regularly to keep the ideas fresh in your mind and to identify ways of translating them into specific plans.
See problems through someone else’s eyes. Break through your current mind set by asking: How would X (an historical figure, a successful business leader, a trusted adviser, etc) see this issue? The ideas you generate will depend on how radical you are in your choice of individual. Keep asking until you begin to generate ideas that are different to your typical thought patterns.
Be teachable. Don’t be so proud or complacent that you can’t learn anything new. Life is an exciting adventure; each new day provides the opportunity to explore, discover and learn something new. Don’t get so stuck in your ways that you aren’t prepared to unlearn and relearn.
Meet five new people every year. Review your professional and social circle. Are you spending time with like-minded people sharing similar views and opinions to reinforce your current beliefs and opinions? Make it a priority to meet new people from different walks of life with fresh ideas to challenge and stimulate your thinking. You may disagree with their views but it will open up your horizons. Develop your networking skills and contacts to build new relationships.