I will be the first to admit that I am uncomfortable with change. Do not like it. 1 out of 5 stars. I like control and order. I am comfortable when I have all the information before I go to a party (not a fan of a surprise party at all), I like it when things are in their proper place on my desk, and my clothes are hung in my closet in color coordinating fashion. Judge me if you will, but I rarely must hunt to for my favorite blue shirt, I always know where it is sandwiched between the green and the purple hues.
So, why write about change? I am trying to learn to embrace change. It is outside my comfort zone. Like, way outside. Change can be difficult. Change can be hard. Change can be uncomfortable. All these things are true. Change can also be amazing. Change can be beautiful.
If you always do the same thing you have always done, you will always get the same results. Many people have said it similarly. Henry Ford said, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
What are the reasons to not change? People might not change because they are comfortable with the results they are getting now. People might not change because they might be scared of failing. People might not change because they are uncertain about what the results may be. People might not change because they are simply not motivated to do so. Can you think of other excuses or reasons that keep you from changing? Can you drill down into your why?
If something is not working for you in your life, and you want to change, what is keeping you from doing so? Fear? Uncertainty? Bias? Pressure from others? Self-esteem? Former failures? Comfort? Motivation? Laziness? Because we have always done it this way? For me, it is the fear of the unknown. Like I said, I like to be in control. One of my favorite quotes of all time is from the poet Erin Hanson,
“There is freedom waiting for you,
on the breezes of the sky,
And you ask, “What if I fall?”
Oh, but my darling,
What if you fly?”
Let’s talk about change in NACM. If we were the same company as when the Salt Lake City association started in 1901 … well … we would be called the National Association of Credit Men and send communication by morse code, handwritten letter, or telegraph. Change is vital to the success of our association. We do not change much of what we do or how we do it often. But sometimes it is necessary. Think about this:
- Change fosters innovation
- Change cultivates resilience
- Change fuels growth
- Change enhances engagement and satisfaction
I am not saying that we need to change our programs, policies, and procedures as often as we change our underwear. But then again, no one is going to be embarrassed in the emergency room if they do not have fresh policies. For our association, doing the same 10 things with the same 10 people will continue to yield the same 10 results. Which is good, fine, and comfortable. But what are we missing out on? I would love to see more involvement from members who maybe haven’t participated previously. What new and exciting possibilities could await us all by inviting new committee members to bring a new perspective to our events and procedures? It might be hard to step out of one’s comfort zone and mix things up with involvement; and I get that we all are busy. Changes we might make together could be catastrophic failures. But on the other hand, changes that we make might allow us to fly.
“Without change, there would be no butterflies…I could learn a thing or two from the butterfly’s relationship with change. We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” Maya Angelou
What changes would you like to see at NACM and what are we going to do about that … together? Let’s explore strange new ideas, seek out new goals, and new boldly go where this association has not gone before. Together.
by Stephanie Johnson, CCE, CGA, NACM Intermountain