On the topic of change

Comedian George Carlin says: “Just when I discovered the meaning of life, they changed it.” He also says: “I put a dollar in a change machine. Nothing changed.”

One of my favorite comedians, Jeff Foxworthy, says: “You have to change those diapers every day. When those directions on the side of the Pampers box say, ‘holds six to 12 pounds,’ they’re not kidding!”

From comedians, we shift our attention to a genius Albert Einstein who says: “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”

It is fascinating to see and study the thoughts of Greek philosophers as they address the topic of change. Many times they come into “conflict” with each other. Take for example the philosophy of Parmenides. He took the view that nothing changes in reality; only our senses convey the appearance of change. Heraclitus, by contrast, thought that everything changes all the time, so it is his view that “whatever is - is changing.” His famous quote reflects his philosophy. He says: “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river, and he’s not the same man.”

Today we have a contemporary slogan that is quoted by both speakers and executives alike. We hear them say: “There is nothing permanent except change.” “The only constant is change.”

I came across this piece of writing, but could not find the source of authorship. Nevertheless, it is something worth reflecting upon.

The never-ending evolution cycle of corporate sometimes causes frustration and anxiety. Just as quickly as one personnel issue adjudicates, another cultural-maxim raises its need which warrants attention. Human resource management and education have become a pendulum swing of extremes. The more we change to accommodate societal shifts, the further we seem to be from mission and vision.

Zig Ziglar, in his book Top Performance, offers the following corporate best-practices that accommodate change while keeping an eye on the prize:

• You are working for progress and not perfection. You are not everything to everyone, but each day for some on your team and staff, you are all they have.

• You make your cause more significant than your ego. Sometimes the will to win has to be preceded by negotiating a compromise if that serves the need better.

• You find value in others. Denis Waitley often said that value is in the doer, not the deed. Mr. Zig Ziglar often advised us to criticize the performance because the performance deserves criticism, but praise the performer so they can fight another day.

• You are undaunted by the challenge. Failure is never final or futile, and you can fail at something, but never as someone. Accept the trust, believe in the training, and complete the task.

• You understand that no one on your team is smarter than all of you put together. So, we win as a team, but do it in time.

What has surprised us is the speed of change that the pandemic has accelerated. Many are suffering from burnout. Leaders are running on empty. Perhaps these words will encourage and inspire our people to endure and stay hopeful as we go through these uncertain times.

Ziglar says: “Live your day by the clock, but your life with a vision.” To which I heartily agree. And as I would frequently quote in my webinars, and it always brings in a ring of laughter. “Your aspirations for the future should always outnumber your regrets of the past.” These are words taken from a K-romantic comedy my wife and I enjoyed watching. Yes, we can learn from comedians, philosophers, and experts, even from K-drama. The world is changing.

(Connect with Francis Kong at http://www.facebook.com/franciskong2. or listen to “Business Matters” Monday to Friday at  8:00 am and 6:30 p.m. over 98.7 DZFE-FM’ The Master’s Touch’, the classical music station.)