This is a statement that I believe is true — and it’s one reason why employees have such a hard time with change. If you want to create distinction for your organization and yourself, you must be able to leverage change to your advantage.
Let’s face it, it’s not just an employee’s job description open to change in today’s marketplace — it’s also the company culture, coworkers’ personalities — and as we’ve witnessed during the pandemic, even their commute that can be altered. All of these (and more) are causing challenges for your team members.
Change is tough on all of us – especially when it comes in waves as it has recently. Let’s discuss how you can manage change and engage employees, so you can stand out from your competition.
The first key to managing change is preparation.
When employees know what’s coming, they can brace themselves psychologically for the changes that are about to take place.
Step one, make sure you’ve provided broad insight into what is changing — and why — before you announce any specific alterations, reassignments, or reorganization. This will help ensure they’re fully engaged with what will be different in their day-to-day work lives.
Next, provide training or education on how to do things differently so that people are ready when the transition starts. People react positively more often if they know what “better” or “different” looks like.
Finally, try not to overwhelm employees with too much information immediately; instead of announcing every new approach all at once, present one new directive each week or month. This will give you time for preparatory measures while maintaining employee morale.
Second, change should be highly visible and communicated in a way that speaks to different personality types on your team.
From status quo-oriented personalities who fear the loss of power or influence, to people-oriented individuals who want information so they can make more in-person and virtual connections with their coworkers, organizational leaders must provide clear direction for all types of people.
It helps your team feel more secure — even if they’re not happy with the news.
Third, don’t just provide facts, figures, dates, and quotas. Tell a story.
Narrative engages both the heart and the head. You need to craft a story about why the change is coming and how it can be beneficial.
Story also makes it easier for your team to remember the changes and relate them throughout the organization. If you merely give them data and rules, they will probably simply “copy and paste” rather than communicate the story of the changes you’re making in a manner that’s positive and compelling.
(If you need help with this, my course on creating and delivering a “Distinctive Story” is available to members of the Iconic Inner Circle. AND your first month is FREE, cancel anytime — meaning you can take the “Story” course as you try out the Iconic Inner Circle program with no obligation! https://IconicInnerCircle.com)
Remember:
When you’re managing change, it’s important to communicate clearly with your team. Let them know why the change is happening and how they can prepare for it. Workers will feel more secure if they understand what is going on — even when their emotions may not align with that understanding.
Take some time before you announce any changes so employees have an opportunity to ask questions and adjust.
Don’t just give facts, figures, dates, and quotas; tell a story about why the change is coming and how this change could be beneficial for everybody involved! Narrative engages people both emotionally as well as intellectually.
As Dr. C. Carey Yang wrote, “Change is inevitable, suffering is optional.” If you follow these steps on dealing with change on your path to creating distinction, you will increase your odds of celebration rather than sorrow.
Distinction is not merely organizational–it’s individual, as well!
Leaders must know how to set the pace, not only through their words, but also through their actions. They must make a difference, and they must be congruent. That is likely why individuals with the ability to distinguish themselves are so rare.
The distinction we all strive for is the ability to make a significant difference — and the best way to do this is through leadership. This is the type of leadership that starts with oneself.
Distinctive leadership can be summarized by the consistent application of these three primary principles:
knowing what you stand for
being committed to your purpose/ideals
doing what you said you would do
An individual who can distinguish themselves can take their leadership skills and apply them in both a professional capacity as well as an everyday life. When leaders display these three qualities, distinction becomes not solely organizational distinction, but also personal distinction.
There must be congruency between how that person lives daily and what they do on the job. When someone observes this individual (or any member of her team), they’ll recognize the distinction in action!
In addition, to create distinction, leaders need to:
have a clear vision for the future of your organization/team and how it will differentiate from other organizations;
find an internal passion that is aligned with leadership skills and apply this in both professional and personal life situations;
create congruency between these two areas so there’s no separation between private and public lives.
We recently witnessed the resignation of a globally recognized CEO – not related to his specific job performance, but due to drunken behavior at a party. Distinctive leaders understand that everything they do – personally and professionally – matters. Distinctive leaders ensure that what they do at work aligns with who they are as people. They live daily like their job depends on it…because sometimes it does!
Distinction needs to start within – not merely organizationally, but individually too! In other words, all distinction starts with YOU!
In today’s world, it isn’t enough to simply be different. If you’re not innovative in a manner that has importance for your customers, you won’t stand out from the crowd.
Innovative strategies will help you gain advantages over your competition by leveraging uniqueness and creativity.
The first step is to identify your goals and objectives. It’s important that you know what you want to achieve, as innovation will amplify those results.
The second action is identifying opportunities for differentiation from competitors. In today’s market, where everyone has their own take on how to deliver for customers, developing an approach that is unique from your competition provides you with an advantage in the marketplace.
Once you’ve identified your goals and the opportunities for differentiation, it’s time to develop your plan.
One way is to tap into creative approaches from other industries. As yourself, “Why and how do they do it that way?” There are examples from all around the world – easily discovered with some basic research on the Internet — that share a common interest in being a distinctive force in the marketplace. By tapping into these different perspectives, leaders can broaden their thinking about how they can provide solutions, while also leveraging diverse viewpoints. This means more creativity and innovation on how best to serve customers — without compromising what you already stand for in your industry.
Lastly, once you’ve created something distinctive that makes sense for your company and meets your objectives, make sure everyone knows about it!
Creative marketing strategies will help build awareness, as well as raise credibility among this increasingly discerning customer base. Tell customers and prospects a story about why they should choose you over the myriad of alternatives available in today’s marketplace.
(And don’t forget – every employee needs to know the story as well!)
Remember:
To create distinction, use innovative strategies for a competitive edge.
Leaders need to broaden their thinking about how they can provide solutions, while also leveraging diverse viewpoints to be distinctive and creative.
Distinctive marketing strategies through stories help build awareness as well as raise credibility among this increasingly discerning customer base.
You must enhance your perspective to distinguish yourself from others who think similarly. Break away from conventional wisdom — it isn’t enough to merely be “different” in today’s world.
It’s not enough to be great at what you do — virtuosos are plentiful in every field. It takes something beyond that. What’s critical for your success is creating distinction. If these insights resonated with you, please share it on your social media! And learn more about our Iconic Inner Circle membership program. (https://IconicInnerCircle.com) We’re ready to help you create a plan for success that will help drive you to meet your goals and create a competitive edge for you and your business!
Even as we move into a post-pandemic world, does your work seem like an endless cycle of meetings, updates and reports?
You’re not alone. In a world where knowledge workers are expected to be on-call 24/7, it’s more important than ever to create personal and professional distinction by finding ways to increase the value you provide at work.
Here are five ideas that have helped me in my career:
1) Become indispensable: think strategically about how your unique skills can help your company reach its goals. Share your thoughts with your team and ask them to do the same. Or, if you’re an entrepreneur, make a list of those skills and evaluate how you can accentuate them to enhance your marketplace distinction.
2) Be proactive – volunteer for projects. A large degree of my reputation in my industry was established because of my ongoing willingness to volunteer for positions within our trade association. It didn’t put money in my pocket right away. However, it was an important step to establish my seriousness about my craft among my peers – and put me in touch with leading figures in my industry who became supporters and a terrific base for referrals. You can do the same!
3) Get comfortable with discomfort – push yourself out of your comfort zone. One way to do this is by taking on challenging tasks or participating in activities that require self-reflection. No matter your age or position, you will have to embrace change and leverage it to your advantage. When you get comfortable with discomfort, you’ll find change much easier to live with — and you will become more proficient at discovering the opportunities inherent with all evolving marketplaces and businesses.
4. Show up early, stay late, and work hard on weekends too – it’s worth it! You didn’t want to hear that one, did you? I’m NOT suggesting that you become a “workaholic.” However, all iconic professionals put in the time. Yes, you should seek home/life balance. But I do not know any highly successful individuals who work short hours. As Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has long said, “Today I will do what others won’t so that tomorrow I can do what others can’t.” Most people won’t work hard enough to discover the enriching benefits of personal and professional success.
5. Take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating healthy food, and exercising regularly – because how you feel impacts how you perform. I realize that there are infinitely more qualified people to suggest this than I. However, since I’ve built a friendship with famed fitness guru, J.J. Virgin, and followed her exercise plan and diet program, I’ve gone from weighing 240 to 205. My resting heartrate has gone from 70 to 56. I’m usually sleeping 7 to 8 hours every night. All of my blood work and vital signs are better.
It’s no coincidence that I’ve become more productive. If you feel great, you work great. There is a direct correlation between your personal fitness and your professional success. You don’t have to become a body-builder or aerobics instructor. You just need to eat better, sleep better, and exercise a little bit more. As I’ve learned in the past twelve months, it’s really a small price to pay for all you get in return!
Here’s hoping that you found these ideas helpful, and this has provided some new strategies to try in your own work. And I would love to hear what’s worked for you!
If these insights resonated with you, please share it on your social media! And learn more about our Iconic Inner Circle membership program. (https://IconicInnerCircle.com) We’re ready to help you create a plan for success that will help drive you to meet your goals and dramatically increase the value of your time at work!
Many years ago, my friend George Walther became well-known through a program he delivered for organizations and sales professionals entitled, “Phone Power.” The content was the basis for a famous audio program that sold countless albums, as well as a bestselling book published in 1987 by Berkley Press. Through this variety of formats, “Phone Power” taught how to “make the telephone work for you.”
One of the critical aspects George Walther taught was that communication was the skill – the telephone was merely the tool used to deliver your communication.
Move forward from the late ‘80s to today, and now we’re overwhelmed with email, texting, mobile phones, and more. In other words, the number of tools has expanded exponentially.
Yet the fundamental aspect that distinctive professionals must improve upon remains the skill of communication. You can’t confuse the tools – from phones to social media – with the fundamental skill we must apply to use those tools effectively.
The more tools at our disposal, the greater challenge it will be to break through the clutter to attain and sustain the attention of our customers and prospects. It is also the reason that storytelling is such an important skill for any professional who wants to stand out from the crowd. Remarkable stories connect on both an intellectual and emotional level.
Stories can compel the audience to take action, change their current supplier, identify with your product or service, and relate to how the manner you’re serving your current customers provides an example of why you’re advantageous for them.
Again – don’t confuse the tools with the skills.
Regardless of the tools you use, the real skill is communication. The most powerful form of communication is the well-crafted and expertly told story. Use it to help you create distinction and stand apart from your competition.
If you’d like to discover the strategies and tactics of creating and delivering a distinctive story, a comprehensive course is available as a part of your subscription to the Iconic Inner Circle. And because you subscribe to this weekly message, your first month is free! You can cancel anytime, which means there’s no risk to join – and the Distinctive Story Course is yours! Join NOW – simply visit https://IconicInnerCircle.com
The former CEO of Best Buy, Hubert Joly, made a recent comment that everyone in business should heed:
“Status quo is not an option.”
As reported by Fortune, Joly said the pandemic presented all businesses with, “a health crisis, an economic crisis, a societal crisis, a racial crisis, an environmental crisis.” This means that none of us – from those selling electronics from big box stores to one-person entrepreneurial start-ups – can justify “we’ve always done it that way” anymore.
My friend, Joe Calloway, has what I think is the all-time best definition of “success.” It means, he says: “You know what used to work.”
You may have read in one of my previous books that I question an entire generation of management training and thinking. Right now, you can graduate from a prestigious institution with a Masters in Business Administration– yet not have completed a single course on customers (for example, how to deliver a customer experience, the value of customer retention, steps to leading higher levels of customer service, etc.) – much less be thoroughly educated on customer lifetime value’s impact on the bottom line.
Joly echoes my concern when he said, “So much of what I learned in business school is either wrong, dated, or at best incomplete.”
Some people are calling it the “new normal.” My pal, Randy Pennington, has a better terminology: “The New Next.” Whatever you decide to name it, we are in a different marketplace than ever before.
Stop trying to circle the wagons around the way you’ve always done it. The status quo is no longer an option.
If you’d like to create distinction and break free from the status quo, consider membership in our Iconic Inner Circle. There’s no risk – your first month is free and you can cancel at any time. Check out all the benefits at: https://IconicInnerCircle.com
