Change- the Number One Constant

By FH Cooper | Leave a Comment

Sometimes change comes upon us slowly, and sometimes is comes like a tsunami, a tidal wave. This is an excellent argument for always having a Plan B, a “what if” contingency scenario. It may not solve all the problems, but it does present options that can. Corporate leaders, executives, managers and supervisors all need to be aware of change on many fronts and how to manage it for their company’s benefit. It is a never-ending quest that provides plenty of on-the-job training for the executive officer and the leadership team, no matter how many years of collective experience they bring to the company. Their commitment is to manage change effectively by leveraging and managing all their core competencies and talents to create new value for the company.

Unfortunately, there are still many executives of large multi-national companies who hold fast to traditional ways of thinking. They fail to consider the resources necessary to assimilate change to make it more effective. The result of such short-sightedness is often a short-term, superficial communications program that soon disappears. Even today, many business leaders confuse stability with stasis. Think of a stable company as you would a stable car. It has an excellent suspension system and good shock absorbers to cushion against the speed bumps and potholes to meet daily challenges. A static company, on the other hand, resists change or movement altogether. The result is that the company is moribund if not already dead.

Many of today’s businesses have morphed into e-businesses, that is, most or all functions are performed with computers via the Internet. A few examples are company websites, utilization of e-mail, and the use of Intranets. Telecommuting (the use of virtual offices, remote offices and mobile offices) provide companies with various new options for their staffing needs. Couple this with the globalization of commerce, trade and outsourcing, and 24/7 availability, and it becomes the commonplace way of conducting business for many companies.

Although the e-world has reshaped the way traditional communication tools are being utilized, it is important to remember that the fundamentals of these communication tools (i.e., advertising, public relations, trade exhibitions, and direct mail) have not changed. What technology has changed is their creation and delivery process.

Franklin Cooper © 2017