Taking it to the Next Level: Six Steps to Accepting Change and Advancing Your Career
By George Mantor, Broker Agent News
By now, most of you have grudgingly accepted that this technology demon is not going to go away. Sure it's still a people business, more so than ever. Technology has increased our capacity to reach out and touch those people. It has also increased their expectations of us and created multiple opportunities for our competitors. And, it will continue to change the nature of our job, as well as the tools and skills necessary to do that "new" job.
The old job was about real estate. The new job is about relationships. The old job collected and distributed information about real estate. The new job is about building larger spheres of influence and marketing your personal image more effectively within them. The old job was an office on Main Street. The new job is a Web site, an e-mail address, a cell phone and a notebook computer. The old job was about prospecting and lead generating. The new job is databases and effective communication.
We no longer control the information. At the moment, we provide only a portion of what is available. Companies that provide zone disclosures are examples of industries emerging in response. Have we countered by bundling more information and enhancing our services? Have we mastered the technology available to us?
The sad truth is that we are way behind the curve. There is still a pocket of resistance that clings to the old notion that all you need is a firm handshake and a warm smile.
"Perception is reality" seems to be the cliché du jour. In most cases, it isn't true, of course. But be assured-the industry of the future will be a mirror image of consumers' expectations, not a reflection of what we want. Pressing the flesh and flashing those pearly-whites is no longer enough. Store the hackneyed tie-downs and worn-out closes. Consumers want neither to be sold nor closed. They want sufficient information on which to base an informed decision.
As more information becomes available, its value declines. It is not a safe bet to assume that the consumer will continue to go through real estate agents to obtain information that is more easily and immediately accessed by technology. Web users, for example, are accustomed to receiving information for free. As real estate Web sites demonstrate, most users do not take the next step and contact the agent.
Here's the key: Get out of the information-providing business and get into the information-interpreting business. The more information available, the more consumers need us to help them utilize it. But, to do that, we'll have to change. The information explosion and technological revolution will continue and will accelerate. The only question is: Will we ride the tide or resist it?
We don't like change-we just want things to get better. Letting go is difficult. There is comfort in the way things used to be. For many of us, it raises the question, When do we change? Do we change to embrace new opportunities, or do we change only when our circumstances are no longer acceptable to us?
Are we pioneers in our own lives, or prisoners? Pioneers are adaptable. Prisoners have no choices. Pioneers seek out new frontiers. Prisoners wait. Pioneers see opportunities in challenge. Prisoners wait.
The problem with change is that the only aspect over which we have much control is our response to it. Embracing change is more than accepting it. It is willingly becoming part of the change. That starts with a change in thinking. In the words of Thomas Edison, "To get to the next level in your life will require a higher level of thinking than the level of thinking that got you where you are."
The appropriate response to any changes is to understand its potential for self-improvement, not only in the context of doing what you do better, but as it impacts one's understanding and appreciation of the life experience. Think of yourself as a "work in progress," and it will be less difficult to abandon thinking and behaviors that are no longer effective.
Change is the catalyst to building a better you. It is often the door upon which opportunity knocks. Here are six things you can do to accentuate the positive and minimize the negative aspects of change.
Accept Change. Easier said than done, but start with the realization that all of this is temporary and subject to change without notice. Plan ahead to deal with those common change experiences that are part of the typical life. Loss of a loved one, change in employment, health issue, aging and death are some.
For example, many people will respond to a threat to their health by reinvigorating their lives with exercise and nutrition. And, by becoming more fit, they expand their capacity for enjoyment. None of us want to go through an illness or injury, but for many of us the result is a dramatic and overall improvement in the quality of our lives.
Look for Change. You know it's coming-why not be amongst the first to reap its benefits? Early adapters receive a disproportionate share of the benefits of change.
Change Your CDs. Reinforce in your own mind that you can adapt, will adapt and will soon flourish as a result. Think of change as a stairway taking you to higher and higher levels your existence. Look for role models you admire who triumphed through change. In addition, there are a wide variety of support groups that can provide valuable information and assistance. Keep a diary of your experience.
Capitalize on Change. Change is constantly shifting the balance of power. David meets Goliath and brings a slingshot. David didn't invent the slingshot, but he certainly demonstrated its potential. Bill Gates didn't invent "point and click," but he certainly demonstrated its potential. Now, any of us with intellectual property can sit at home and slay corporate giants. Bill Gates' wealth is representative of his capitalizing on change and shifting the balance of power to him.
Become a Change Agent. How often are we told that one person can't make a difference? Everything begins with one person. And because change is inevitable, over time, even the smallest effort becomes part of a gradual shift.
Be Appropriate in the Moment. Woody Allen wrote that 90 percent of success is showing up. Showing up on time, honoring commitments and pursuing opportunities represent being appropriate in the moment. You know what you need to do, and you know you ought to do it now. Tackle it and get it out of the way. This will cause you to feel freer and less apprehensive about the future.
Change may be the ultimate reality of our lives. This is, after all, a journey, not a destination. There is no pause button. Growth or decay are the only states in nature. Change is inevitable, cooperation is optional. If we view change as negative, we are less open to the ways in which we can ride it to a higher level. And whether it's business, recreation or relationship building, we are continually being confronted by opportunities to move to higher and higher levels of competence and satisfaction.
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