Change - From the Inside Out

Being exceptional at what you do is a function of your expertise and experience but there could be less conspicuous factors that determine the kind of results you get. For some time now, I have been asking myself 'what's really the main difference between upwardly mobile persons and those who just string along especially when they have the same resources and opportunities at their disposal?' This question sometimes prompts me to ask even more questions. Why do some people seem to achieve their career goals on a consistent basis leaving others feeling they lack that special magic wand or luck? As profound as these questions may be, the answers are not farfetched. Let's begin by examining some illustrations.

• Two persons are given ten million dollars each without being instructed on what exactly to do with the money. They are both told to use it for whatsoever they desire. After some time, one of them becomes broke and seeks financial assistance while the other gets richer. While the guy who became broke may have thought “now I am rich and can live a lavish lifestyle like wealthy people do”, the guy who became rich thought differently. To him, the money enables him to run and grow a good business. This is where the real difference lies - their thought patterns. The same amount of money given to two persons with many similar characteristics but very different results.
• Let's consider another exciting example. An individual who stays in a clean and decent environment trades places with another who habitually dwells in filthy surroundings. As time goes on, the dirty environment gradually becomes clean due to the efforts of the person inhabiting it and the decent one becomes messed up. As we can see here again, it's a mind thing. It is true that until you fix the mind, you cannot fix the man.

It's what on the inside of a person that will eventually manifest on the outside. As a professional in your chosen field of endeavor, it's a great idea to have career goals and plans. Documenting these career goals is even a better idea but that's not all. You need to have a firm belief in these goals if you really want to accomplish them. That's the hardest part of it all.

If you aspire to be a general manager in your organisation or to occupy an executive position in another organisation, then you must first see it in your mind and believe that you can get there. You must first be it on the INSIDE before you can be it on the OUTSIDE. Change begins from the inside and then manifests itself on the outside. This is how great men and women are made.

The human mind is far more powerful and impactful than we realize. If you see yourself as an executive director, you would begin to act or behave like one even when you don't realize it. Your effort level will likely shoot up and you may find yourself saving more money than you normally would just because you want to be able to buy some company shares when an opportunity to join the board of directors show up. You may find yourself establishing new relationships with those that are ahead of you in career terms and reading management books and magazines. Often, these changes on the outside happen when we are not even conscious of them. You must 'be' something before you can 'become' that same thing. It all starts from the inside.

I have participated in some training programmes over the years and one of the most impactful has been a course on change management. My key takeaway from that course is that reorientation is an integral aspect of organizational change and for change management to work, there's got to be a mental shift in the individuals affected by or involved in the change. This truth remains the same whether we are dealing with change at an individual, organizational or national level. Unless something changes internally, external efforts will be futile.

What are those factors that make change from the inside-out a herculean task for most people?

• Personal experiences especially of a negative kind that keep reminding them of how 'unrealistic' their goals and visions are. So, an individual who got rejected when he/ she submitted a business proposal for a huge contract begins to settle for less by bidding for much smaller ones
• The unfavorable experiences of others which can create a similar mental block. So, the person begins to think he/she can't get it done because others couldn't especially when they seem to be better qualified or more capable.
• A seeming lack of self-confidence which can be very limiting and eventually manifests as fear of the unknown.

A popular Chinese proverb captures the essence of this article in saying "whether you think you can or you can't, either way you are right." So, begin to work on your thought processes forthwith. Carefully observe those thinking patterns that are not consistent with your career goals and aspirations and find ways to replace them with helpful and positive thoughts.

Change your thinking, change your life. The change begins now. If you aspire to lead your department, division or organisation soon, then you must begin to see yourself in that light. Even when the present circumstances and externalities do not in any way give you opportunities to occupy your desired position, you must be mentally ready for it now. When you are psychologically prepared for where you want to be or what you want to do, other things will eventually fall into place. This is also an important consideration when building a team; choose people that have a possibility mindset even though you may not necessarily agree on everything.

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