hange is scary. I am constantly talking about the changes I went through when I started my business; that was an internal shift, and as a business consultant, I had to convince the world that this change was meant to happen and I was here to make a difference in people’s lives. After reading Leadership Success: The Real Challenges of Making Change, I found that it really reflected the challenges that I personally faced during this time in my life.
Vision
How do you get people to wrap their heads around your specific vision? In order to effectively get my clients to respond to change, there are specific factors that need to be present. The most powerful influence, for me, is trust. When I meet with a business prospect, my goal is to dissect their situation & assess where the opportunities for change live and impact the modifications I feel need to occur. Adjustments may be required in the way they select a venue for their new project or alter the design process for their concept, an even revolutionize their communication strategy about the capabilities of their product. Establishment of trust is an integral part of any relationship, be it business or otherwise, and that confidence must be nurtured.
Relationships
How does one go about nurturing this relationship? Although it may be in the best interest of the client to embrace suggestions I make, especially when those that are in conflict with their current practices – if it isn’t something they are experienced with they may not see how it can help. An example…I have a client who has a product created for the hospitality industry but he doesn’t have experience in the industry. So when I say, you need to hire a PR firm and a marketing & promotions team…you don’t have the bandwidth to endorse your product alone and be successful. When he agreed to attend meetings with me and I spoke about his project I was spot on with his vision & his goals. I listened and I asked a million questions until I knew what the answers would be before I even asked the question. From this he started believing I could actually offer the assistance he needed. Change is usually made when being ‘okay’ is no longer an acceptable way of being…when this is recognized there is a breakthrough and this is normally the tipping point that catapults the situation to a more desirable outcome.
Tenacity is a key for change – not every effort will be successful – that doesn’t mean operating the same way is satisfactory. Everything worth having takes work and the willingness to pick yourself up after a setback. The fear of failure is not a factor for someone with clear vision.