There is a television commercial running by Wells Fargo Bank that describes how, due to a series of missteps, they have had to change their practices in order to regain the trust of their customers. They end the commercial by stating, “Established 1852. Reestablished 2018.” I point this out because this provides a great introduction to the topic of my next series of blog posts – reinvention.
Sometimes companies and individuals have to reinvent themselves because of mistakes they have made, such as in the case of Wells Fargo. Sometimes reinvention comes because old methods must give way to the innovations of the future, such as we see happening with many old-school communication companies. Finally, reinvention can become a necessity due to no fault of the organization or individual, but merely because circumstances change.
For whatever reason, virtually all of us, especially leaders, come to a point at which they are faced with the decision to either continue to do things the way they always have and accept the inherent decline that will come, or reinvent the way they do things to prepare for the future and its inherent possibilities. For organizations, it will be manifest in methods and practices, product and service offerings, their approach to HR and the makeup of their team. Although there will be some sentimentality attached to the organizational changes, it is a well-accepted reality that businesses that want to stay relevant must continually evaluate their practices and be willing to change.
For individuals, reinvention is a far more emotional experience, because it often means evaluation and change of the characteristics that we believe make us who we are, and when challenged, we become unsettled, insecure, doubtful, and even depressed. We may realize that in order to move forward in our lives, we must make some changes, but putting in the work of reinvention takes time, sacrifice, courage, sheer will, and determination. It’s not easy, which is why many people will often opt to just stay the same and accept whatever circumstance they end up with. Change is hard. Reinvention is harder.
That’s why, in the weeks ahead, I will be sharing some of my own experiences in the journey of reinvention and practical lessons I’ve discovered to be helpful. I do this as an individual and as a leader of other leaders. As challenging as the process has been, I’ve had to force myself to reinvent and I’m beginning to see some positive outcomes. I’m just getting started, but I feel that my experience so far can be helpful to others, like you! So, I hope you will tune in each week for a “reinvention reality” that I’ve discovered. I believe it will help you when the time comes for you to reinvent. Here is one thought to consider today.
“No bird soars in a calm.” Wilbur Wright.
Reinvention doesn’t happen when things are calm. So be prepared to fly!
Lead well.