PREPARING FOR CHANGE


6.
THE ABILITY TO REACT PROPORTIONATELY & LEVEL-HEADEDLY IN TIMES OF CRISIS
OR CHANGE

When drama occurs – and it will – you will need to react appropriately. There are two
dangerous reactions: over-reactions and under-reactions.

An over-reaction sucks energy and life out of the enterprise as you react to unfounded fears.

An under-reaction means you are not focused enough.

The trick is to find the right balance.

How do you find the right balance?

1. Practice!
2. Keep an open dialogue with those around you.
3. Try different approaches

Just remember, that if something doesn’t work three times in a row, it may be time to ditch it
and try another route!

 
7.
PREPARING FOR CHANGE

A TRIPLE DOSE OF REALITY

As you boldly progress in your enterprise, you create a new reality with each step. This involves
trying something new, seeing if it works, and either working on it until it does work, or cutting
your losses and starting over.

Doers and Dreamers

People who can change reality are doers. They change reality again and again. Those who do
not produce actual changes to reality are merely dreamers!

Risk

Often, entrepreneurs are described as risk-takers. Rather, entrepreneurs manage their risk.
They achieve this by understanding the risks, listening and communicating to find a way around
the risk, and working really hard to ensure they don’t fall prey to the risk.

 
8.
PREPARING FOR CHANGE

A PREHEATED HOLISTIC PRESENT

As human beings we are trained from a young age to learn from our past to inform our present.
There is a trap here in that when we take actions in the present that are coloured by the past,
the future we create for ourselves tends to be a repeat of the past. This is your default future.

Click the video to see more.


You can only actually do anything in the present, and what you do actually creates your reality.
If you accept your past and design a new future for yourself that is outside of what you have
known, you can use this new future as a resource to inform your present; and if you take
actions in the present that are consistent with this new future, you can transcend your past –
and thereby your default future – and have just about anything you want.

You and your team can co-create this new reality for yourselves, your customers, and your
stakeholders. This is made possible by the context created by your story of the future.

One of the problems that often occur when actions are based on the past is: “This is how it has
always been done, so I will do it like that too!”

The past needs to be viewed with a critical eye. This means not blindly following tradition.
Focusing only on the future – using visualization techniques for example – without taking
actions in the present brings another danger: “We’ll do it tomorrow”

You need to be in action and live now while keeping your new future – and your past – in mind.
Accept the past but live in the present, and design your future.

 
9.
PREPARING FOR CHANGE

A SUBSTANTIAL DOLLOP OF FRESH PERSPECTIVE

True perspective comes from knowing all angles. Your assumptions can colour your
perspective. Don’t assume!

If you want to find out whether what you are doing is any good, rely on asking your customers
to tell you - don’t imagine it yourself.

The best people to ask are your customers and clients precisely because they are the ones you
need to cater for.

 
10.
PREPARING FOR CHANGE

A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS, INCLUDING SELF-QUESTIONING WITHOUT SELF-DOUBT

Asking a question and really listening to the answer means you obtain two valuable things.
Firstly, you get the information you want (as the answer to your question), and secondly, you
convince people of your good intentions by making them feel that they have been heard.

When you listen to peoples’ answers, you show that you are interested in them as people, and
people love this!

They will love you and your team for doing it.

Your team will also love you if you ask them questions and listen to their answers.


Positive Questions

It is also important to frame questions in a positive light. This means focusing on what
someone did right rather than what they did wrong. Negative questioning is unproductive,
dominant behaviour designed to make you feel right or others feel wrong. When you do either,
you lose your connection to people and this is why resolutely positive questioning is so
important.

 
11.
PREPARING FOR CHANGE

SEVERAL SPOONFULS OF LEADERSHIP GRAVITAS STEEPED IN FEMALE ENERGY

Traditionally, masculine skills include constructing and deconstructing things; whereas female
energy includes nurturing and seeing the bigger picture.

Female energy is also far more effectual, practical and determined. Male energy is more
random and more fun.

To be successful, you need features of both male and female energy.

Energy by itself is not focused enough to be credible: you must also develop sufficient
confidence to possess the gravitas to be taken seriously. This comes from putting in the work
and realizing results.

 
12.
PREPARING FOR CHANGE

A LARGE MEASURE OF INSPIRATION FORTIFIED BY DEEP LISTENING

True leaders inspire. For your enterprise to succeed, you need to inspire people to believe in
you.

Click the video to see more.

One way of inspiring people is by listening to what they are saying!

It is also important to listen to what they are not saying, and to what they are feeling…

Few things are more inspiring than knowing that one’s concerns and interests are being
listened to and taken on board.


Deep Listening

Creative, deep listening means listening critically and carefully and perceiving the real
questions and emotions…

It is important not to unconsciously answer the question yourself. Critically listening helps
prevent assuming!

By listening to your followers, you honour them. It is by honouring your followers – especially
your first followers – that you are granted the position of leadership in an enduring way. Leadership must be earned in this way.

 
PREPARING FOR CHANGE

END OF PREPARING FOR CHANGE
This section covered how to react with proportionality, the importance of understanding reality – especially when it comes to understanding the past – and how asking the right questions can lead to success. It also covered the importance of female energy and listening.

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