Review parts 1 through 15 for details and thinking, then utilize the Recipe for Change.
Part 2 – the Reason for Change
Exploring the reason for change is so difficult. I have interviewed many auto repair shop owners, and here is what they have said. Please review this list to see if they resonate with your thoughts. Here it goes:
- Not wanting to fail
- Lack of faith changes will work
- Old habits
- Don’t know where to start
- Over analyzing
- Too much mental energy required
- My staff will not like it and will resist
- Not knowing the right time
- Not willing to work on it
- The effort of thinking it through
- The daily grind of putting out fires
- Family schedule
- Too busy
- Lack of discipline
- Stuck in my old ways and bad habits
- We don’t get along
- Pulling the trigger
- Wasting time
- We are frozen in place as a business
- Lack of motivation
- Not enough pain
- Many more…
The ones that stand out and I see and hear the most are:
- FEAR of Failure
- FEAR of Pushback
- FEAR of Staff
- FEAR of the Outcome
Are you frozen with fear?
Are you too lazy?
Are you complacent?
Are you too busy?
Are you lacking leadership skills?
The Recipe for Change
When you’re baking a cake, there are certain ingredients that are necessary for the cake to come out as planned. You need to follow a step by step procedure. Include all portions as described, mix as indicated, then cook for the optimum time and temperature. Any variation from the recipe may cause an incomplete and utter disaster! If you don’t follow the recipe, you will not get the results you were expecting.
When you’re leading your company and staff through change, a recipe would be very helpful, so here it is:
- You must be totally committed to the change (1 gallon)
- It must be well defined and written (1 pint)
- You must be willing to accept the push back and resistance (1 quart)
- Create the WHY story to sell to sell your staff (Five Pounds)
- Talk to them one-on-one (1 Tablespoon)
- Give them time to adjust mentally to the change (Let Marinate 1 week)
- Let them express their feelings (Snap-Crackle-Pop)
- Set a rollout date for the change to occur (Cook Time 10 Days)
- Have many training sessions before rollout (Mixing steps)
- Establish the change as a habit (Tasting the results)
This is a quick and simple recipe for change. Follow the ingredients and steps, and see what results you will achieve. Review parts 1 through 15 for more details and thinking.
Management is the formula.
Leadership is the essential catalyst.
You are the stick that stirs the ingredients.
