Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.
-John Kenneth Galbraith
“We can’t change that. Really, what are you thinking? That has done nothing but make money for us. I see no reason to change.” Sound familiar?
We loathe change and will protect our past decisions to avoid replacing a product, brand or process with something new. Change is even more difficult as a business owner, so much more. You not only need to handle change, you must decide what to change, when to change and how to change. The always intimidating triple-whammy.
We all know change is hard but if we do not improve our businesses it will become irrelevant to our customers. We need to grit our teeth and fully accept change, aggressive change. Change must become a major part of our business planning structure.
This level of change is necessary for two market driven reasons. First, we are in the luxury business. A business where yesterday’s hot profitable products will be copied by many. This diminishes its glow with luxury’s progressive product seekers and its profit will slide to commodity levels. Secondly, the 21st century is about how tech can make business better. In fact, quite a few learned people think all businesses must fundamentally be a tech business first, market-looking second. Might your next showroom be a new website?
In decades past, we walked into our businesses asking what was broken and needed to be fixed. Today, we need to ask what is next, and how do I get there as fast as my team is able?
Change is hard and it is even harder when you, yourself must plot the course, craft the process and get it done.
“You knew the job was dangerous when you took it…”
– Super Chicken, Jay Ward
Jeffrey Valles 