The Next Level

Okay, you have done the right thing, have the right education, know the right people, paid your dues as it were, and now feel that the time is right to make a change. You want to improve your life, take the bull by the horns, and are ready to go to that next level, whatever it may be. However, getting from where you are to where you want to be is often easier said than done.

I’ve been very lucky in that, for over 25 years, I have worked almost exclusively with people that want to go to the next level. These people are owners or leaders of companies that feel it’s time to turn it up a notch or two. They want to introduce a brand or line extension, launch a new product, go to a new market, go public or just simply get better or bigger than they are now. In dealing with these transitional situations there are always practical issues to deal with like resources, competition, manufacturing capability, timing etc. But there are also some personal and human issues that must be addressed; after all these organizations are not run by machines. Having said that, I’ve identified three key variables that impact successful change and often keep people from achieving their dreams: Lack of a clear vision, fear of failure and force of habit.

Vision is something that is more than a goal it is an aspiration that becomes inspirational. That is to say that it must be clear enough to describe exactly what you want to achieve in such a way that others can appreciate and actually support. I work with a lot of executives that wonder why their team doesn’t seem to be getting on board with the program. And so when I ask the team to describe the vision of the company and they can’t, it becomes pretty clear what the problem is. I think this is also true for individuals. You may not have a company behind you but there are friends and family that would be very willing to support you if they only knew what you wanted to do. One other aspect of setting a vision is that it must be grand. To paraphrase Michelangelo – It’s better to set your sights too high and miss than set them too low and hit the mark. I’ve also found that whenever one tries to accommodate their vision to whatever everyone else wants, you’re dead before you start.

Fear of failure is pretty common and most of us have experienced this in our lives at one time or another. This fear is what screws up the vision making process because we tend to dilute the goal to fit a projected outcome that is safe. People don’t like to fail and so they tend to compromise and set the bar only as high as they have already been. With my children I remind them that failure is simply an outcome and necessary if one is to grow. And then I’ll ask what I think is a key question for all of us: If you knew you wouldn’t fail what would you do? If the answer does not describe your current life then maybe it’s time to realign your vision and start creating outcomes that move you to where you want to be.

The last factor to contend with for getting to the next level is called the “force” of force of habit. This is a biggie and something that I think we all can relate to. When I used to work on the assembly line at the Jeep plant in Toledo, each station along the way was equipped to add or improve one aspect or component of a car that slowly moved along a predictable path that in theory would be driven off the line and be as good as new. Some stations would not change at all for years, but every once in a while a new- from the bottom up- model would be designed and we all had to learn a new way. I don’t think I’ve ever heard so much complaining by so many people as I did when a new car was coming down the line. Whatever you knew before was thrown out the window and those old habits were hard to let go. I felt really sorry for the people that bought those first new cars because when so many work stations had parts left over that were supposed to be in there somewhere you just knew it wasn’t right. And in today’s world if you’re in a comfort zone, doing things by rote, there is a good chance that you’re missing out on some excitement in your life. As Will Rogers said: “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll still get run over if you just sit there”.

To sum up – a clear vision, no fear and the ability to change is all one needs to succeed. So go ahead, plant the seeds of your dream and create a grand vision for the future you’ve always wanted. Don’t be afraid of the outcomes because that’s how we learn. And remember that you can’t get to the next level until you let go of the level you’re on. Bon chance!
From the Book of Szen