Development and evolution are signs of the dynamics of progress and advancement – of humanity, society, and man himself. The period of the third millennium can safely be called a revolution of changes. Therefore, readiness for change is a necessary asset of successful people, businessmen, and managers. In the rocket age of the infoverse, when decisive victories in capturing market shares and the greatest profits come from new cutting-edge technologies and knowledge, those who are prepared, willing, and especially constantly trained for flexibility of change have a chance at success.
I. Change as a Lifestyle of the Successful From the perspective of examining the greatest giants among business entities that have reigned on the market for years, nearly all of them succeed precisely because they spare no expense in terms of readiness for change and very persistently and prudently invest in research, the search for new technologies, and comprehensively in training for readiness for change – human, technical, process-systemic. Reengineering of the soul and reengineering of work habits, technological approaches, and sought-after solutions is the lifestyle of the successful not only on the market but also in life.
In life, too, it is true that not everything can go well forever. While things are going well, one should keep one's feet firmly on the ground and also prepare something in reserve for harder times when things will not go as well and not only "new times" but also the accompanying necessary changes arrive.
II. Pragmatic Innovations It goes without saying that prudent entrepreneurship and far-sighted business will only utilize pragmatic innovations that can move efficiency forward. Empty actions, as well as changes for the sake of change that do not alter the substance and content but only the cosmetics and form, need to be measured and analyzed several times before we include them. Or better yet, not include them at all if their multiplicative effects are not multiple. The absolute worst is to carry out merely political-populist changes at the expense of professional incompetence to expertly decide what is a desired and desirable innovation necessary for progress and what is not.
III. The Foundation of Change is Man The increasing speed of life often forces people into improvisation and flexibility. Things and people change. Sometimes for the better, other times for the worse. The organizer of changes and the bearer of the main ideas, risks, opportunities, possibilities – wins and losses from them – was, is, and will be man. If we look at the structure of the world's greatest threats and global risks (hunger, disease, ecological disasters, etc.), they were not caused by nature but by man. At home, with my little 3-year-old son, we often play a game I deliberately invented about what in life nature is responsible for and what man is responsible for, so that he can best perceive the role of both these factors on planet Earth. The foundation of change is man.
IV. Two Different Faces of Change Change has two basic positions – it brings joy and fear. Joy from the opportunity to gain and achieve something new. Fear of the risk of whether we will manage the change and be successful. Whether it will happen that fate punishes us for not appreciating enough what we have, but allowing ourselves to "blaspheme" and reach for change. Most people in everyday life experience more lack than happiness, but if they are proactive and willing to change ingrained ways of life, approaches, procedures, and especially mental attitude, they can reliably regulate their own happiness themselves, without having to fear the games of an unpredictable fate.
V. Hard on the Training Ground, Easy on the Battlefield Training and practice of readiness, if they are to be serious, can sometimes be quite tough. But without honest training there would not only be no calluses, sweat, muscles, but mainly there would be no good results on the battlefield if the training ground at work were idle.
They say that fortune also favors the prepared. Those who are most prepared are those who accept change as an effective lifestyle, as a necessity. For example, progress has brought it about that we make phone calls from mobile phones, which we could not imagine a few years ago. Progress has brought it about that we do not have one job for life (which, for example, in the Slovak Republic was the norm during the socialist era), but it is common to change several during a lifelong career, at least five.
VI. Perspectives on Change Can Refine It A good starting point for creative innovations and functioning change is to believe in activity and work that solves how things can be done, and not the opposite – how and why they cannot be done. Our ancestors long ago taught us with the proverb that he who wants to do (change) looks for ways to do it, and he who does not looks for reasons why it cannot be done.
One should not enter into changes headlong without consideration, but pragmatically and with a weighing of possible risks. Always compare the balance of possible advantages and disadvantages after the change. At the same time, it is good to keep to the motto of measuring three times before you cut. Everything that life prepares for us can have two sides – good and bad.
VII. Remedy and Weapon Every invention, discovery, innovation can bring benefit and sorrow. They can become for humanity the dearest remedy and the most terrible weapon, because they can be used but also abused.
One of the oldest Chinese books on wisdom highlights the story of an old farmer and his young son, who were as poor as church mice. Fate sent them a young and strong horse for free. At first, the horse helped them plow and the young son rejoiced with joy. The old man told him to wait and not judge prematurely because every thing in life that happens, including that fate sent them a horse for free, can lead to good or bad. And so it happened. The young man could not resist and jumped on the stallion to go for a ride. The horse threw him off and he broke his leg. He cursed the horse, but the old man told him not to judge prematurely and wait, because it could be for good or bad. The next day, all the young men from the village were taken to war; only the young man with the broken leg was saved and did not have to enlist. The story continues further, reminding that human fate deals out losses and victories, joy and sorrow, happiness and unhappiness. Man cannot always immediately recognize which thing is a plus for him and which a minus.
Summary: Some things are not what they seem. This holds true throughout life. Change is risky. It is pain (discomfort), but also a new challenge and opportunity (comfort). Competition never sleeps. Readiness for change and innovation is the motto of the times.
About the author:
Ing. Emil Burák, PhD., 46 years old, educator and economist with diverse experience (e.g., 10 years as a top manager – in the private and public sector, tax expert, former banker, analyst, project manager, consultant) and author (financial-tax expert, lecturer of managerial courses for entrepreneurs, university teacher) of 10 monographs and over 1000 professional articles on economic and consulting topics at home and abroad. If you found this article interesting and would like to know more, visit the page Osobnosti.sk where you will find information about the author and his work.