by Chris Bennett
Bob Dylan's first sang his hit tune The Times They Are A-Changin in 1964, and the lyrics are still relevant in today's business world.
I particularly like the lyrics;
You'd better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'
And change is one thing that you can guarantee will happen in your business and in your life.
What sort of changes can affect your business?
You may find your sales have suddenly fallen off. Or you have become too successful too quickly and cannot cope with the increase in workload. Or your telemarketing no longer works like it used to.
If you cannot cope with unplanned changes such as these, then your business may eventually sink like a stone.
What can you do about unplanned changes in business?
1. Accept change as part of business life.
Denying or trying to avoid the consequences of an unplanned change in your business can make matters worse. Acceptance is the first step towards coping with the change.
2. Focus on what you can control
Trying to control every aspect of a major change forced upon you may not be realistic. There are some things you cannot control. What you can do is to focus on the areas you can control. This focuses your energy in a positive way and will enable you to cope better with the change and even turn it into an advantage for your business.
3. Take action
When you are faced with an unplanned change, try to deal with it as soon as possible. Depending on the size of the change and the impact it has on your business, procrastinating will probably make things worse.
The times they are a-changin.
Are you?
