Sales Man Up
The Cheese Is Moving
CHANGE HAPPENS WHEN THE PAIN OF HOLDING ON BECOMES GREATER THAN THE FEAR OF LETTING GO. – SPENCER JOHNSON ( Posthood.com )
The one true constant in life is change. The last four months have brought more change than ever imaginable. COVID-19 has been the perpetrator of such radical disruption in our culture, our businesses and our world. Some have barely been affected. Others have lost loved ones close to them. Some have seen their jobs or markets vaporize; while many have trudged along, working from home ; being thankful to produce income during these trying times. Many companies have gone to the mat and have intentionally made sacrifices just to keep their people working. A maintenance business owner told me last week, “ we haven’t made much profit over the last three months, but we’ve kept all our crews working.” Well done.
In business, we have shifted from personal meetings to Zoom and Teams video conferences, from handshakes to social distancing, and from connecting over a meal or social event to cyber Happy Hours. It makes my head spin! These times strike at the core of every business professional who has built their lives and enterprise around relational connection and in-person face- to -face communication. It feels odd to be relegated to connecting only through electronic devices; like struggling to keep a long-distance relationship afloat. I feel frustrated and handicapped, because I am missing out on being in my client’s presence! I no longer have the freedom of just dropping by with a new product, and a box of fresh Panera. The cheese has moved !
Spencer Johnson, in his book, “ Who Moved My Cheese?” Tells the story about a universal challenge that we are all facing now- change . Visionpoint.com summarizes it nicely : “ The fable centers around four characters; two mice named Sniff and Scurry, and two little people named Hem and Haw. The four live in a maze, which represents our physical environment. Their goal is to look for cheese, representing life's happiness and success. “ One day, when our characters return to the place where the cheese has always been, they find that it is gone ! Sniff and Scurry embark on their journey to discover where the cheese has been moved, while Hem and Haw are paralyzed with fear. Should they put their track shoes on and run after the cheese? What if the cheese shows back up while they are out searching for it? What if the cheese never shows up again, and they starve to death ? In their dilemma they finally realize, the quicker they let go of the old cheese, the sooner they will find the new cheese. If they are not willing to change, they will become extinct. The fact is, “ life moves on ,” Spencer writes, “and so should we! “ Fear paralyzes us, but faith mobilizes us!
I know so many business professionals ,myself included, that are way out of their comfort zones right now . Though many of us have faced recessions and personal setbacks, the season we face now is unprecedented. In our attempt to conduct business during this Pandemic , our openness to change, mental flexibility, and desire to persevere, is absolutely essential for our survival. The cheese has definitely moved. Our clients require a new level of service that meets their needs without endangering their health. They need current updates and information without us spamming their inboxes and overwhelming them . This requires more patience and creativity on everyone’s part- more handwritten notes, more follow up and follow through, and more “thank you’s “. We have to use the tools at hand to communicate effectively, to respond efficiently; while possessing authenticity and genuine empathy for our clients.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve sort of grown fond of the taste of cheese over the years, so pardon me as I pause to lace up my track shoes. Happy running !
Being in the uncomfortable zone is much better than staying in the cheese-less situation. - Spencer Johnson
The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. - Alan Watts
Quotes from Brainyquote.com
