Essay on change is not always good
200-250 words
Answers
Some people thrive on change; others will do all they can to resist it. But are those who advocate that change is a good thing, always right? INCH sought the opinions of those with something to say
Change is not always a good thing. It may force us out of tired habits and impose better ones upon us, but it can also be stressful, costly and even destructive. What’s important about change is how we anticipate it and react to it. Change can teach us to adapt and help us develop resilience, but only if we understand our own capacity for growth and learning. When change makes us better, it’s because we have learned how to turn a challenging situation to our own advantage, not merely because change happens.
Rick Newman, author of Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success and a columnist for Yahoo Finance
One of life’s constants is change. Ready or not, it happens. We grow. We age. Technology reinvents each new day. Some relish change; others resist. We like it best on our terms, but don’t always have that option. Sometimes all we can do is cope with it. When given the opportunity to exert our will in the matter, we’re wise to proceed with caution. Change for the sake of change is a risk – the grass on the fence’s other side isn’t always greener. The relentless pursuit for “better” can sometimes leave us bitter, regretting changes we didn’t need to make.
Bob Tamasy, author and Vice President of Communications Leaders Legacy, Inc.
Change isn’t inherently good or bad. It’s something that is inevitable. Problems are created by the speed at which it occurs and the threat it poses to those being asked to change. A helpful maxim is that the smoothest journey occurs when what you’re asking a person, organisation, or country to do, is almost as easy as not changing. Unfortunately, those who push for change are shocked when there’s blow-back. Even the most basic understanding of the principles of change would make transitions easier, whether it’s the head of a country proposing universal insurance, the CEO of a corporation after for more accountability from his employees, or a wife annoyed at her husband’s messiness.
Stan Goldberg, author of “I Have Cancer,” 48 Things To do When You Hear the Words and eight other books on the sharp points of life
Change is inevitable, but are we always forced to change because we live in a highly-connected, fast-paced global environment? I think change for the sake of change has nothing to do with true innovation and fostering creativity or acquiring new knowledge and learning the necessary new skills to stay competitive. For big or small businesses any change in brand identity such as image, logo, slogan, has an impact on the brand image and how the customers perceive the products or services. In most cases, loyal brand lovers hate change so before implementing any change, you need to ask: What additional value do I bring to my customers, employees and other stakeholders?
Anne Egros, global executive coach
Many people hate change, yet others look forward to it. Resistance to change is normal yet a very destructive thing. Some managers fail to recognise the symptoms of change as directly related to proposed or actual changes, such as high staff turnover, conflict, lateness, mistakes, injuries, low morale and lowered productivity.
Eve Ash, Australian psychologist and managing director of Seven Dimensions
Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence, only in constant improvement and constant change. Winners must learn to relish change with the same enthusiasm and energy that we have resisted it in the past.
Tom Peters, American writer on business management practices
Change is good. It’s also often hard. The status quo can be so much more comfortable. But to succeed in business, you must run towards it. This is the fastest-changing communications and technology landscape we’ve ever been in. Twenty years ago, you probably didn’t have an email address, and now it’s hard to imagine life (or your business) without email. Ten years ago, Facebook didn’t exist, and now one-and-a-quarter billion people and millions of businesses use it to communicate. Even if you’re not directly involved in the communications or technology industries, there’s no doubt that technology has played a huge role in changes in your industry. These changes mean you have to change.