It was Henry Ford who said “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

This quotation was appropriate for a discussion I had with a client recently.

They were explaining to me that their business was successful and profitable but they were frustrated because they weren’t hitting the growth targets they had set.

We talked about some of the business processes and in particular the business development techniques they were using. They felt that things needed freshening up and new and different approaches introduced. These changes related to the way they developed new business and grew income from existing clients.

They told me they knew what Einstein was getting at when he said “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

To spark some inspiration and creative and innovative thinking we discussed some of the messages contained in a book I read many years ago called “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr Spencer Johnson.

The book is a simple parable about four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy.

Cheese is a metaphor for what you want in life and the maze is where you look for what you want e.g. the business you work in, the community you live in or the relationships you have in life.

Each of the characters in the book established their own routines and went to the cheese supply daily to stock up. Eventually the cheese supply runs out.

Despite this, two of the characters keep going to same location and get frustrated when they don’t discover any cheese. The other two go off in search of new supplies and eventually their efforts are rewarded when they find a much larger store of cheese.

There are many simple powerful messages and suggestions contained in the book on ways to effectively manage and deal with change. One of them relates to what one character says to another: “Sometimes things change and they are never the same again. This looks like one of those times. That’s life! Life moves on and so should we.”

My client conceded that they were a little concerned at having to leave familiar methods and ways of working and take a step into the unknown. I understood this and explained that I find this to be a very common reaction to change. I posed a question that got them into action and helped to start an action plan. The question was “what would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

This week, why not take a few moments and reflect on a task or project that you are involved with. Consider if it requires you to adopt a change of approach or different strategies to improve the outcome. If so, what will be your first step?

This week’s quotation:

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk