Need for Change or Demand for Change?

The all time question to change or not to change will always echo from now to generations yet unborn with endless fears of the risks, what can be or what might not be. And as tough as it may sometime seem, it will continue to be the bricks and foundation upon which innovation and the "future world" of individual lives and organizations will be built. Imagine, if the generation of The Wright Brotherswere too scared of the idea of flying or feared dying while in space, the world would have been deprived of the myriads of benefits that the concept of an aeroplane and the booming aviation industry created and we would have been stuck to our locomotive's noise, snail speed and absence of comfort in moving from one point to another. We therefore need to keep changing to make impact and hopefully to keep improving and getting better!

An old adage says - "Change is the only constant thing in life" literally meaning that everyday living is helplessly marked with changes whether it has to be designed or imposed. Supposing that everyday I wake up, the colour of the sky will keep changing from ocean blue to sunny red to bright orange and perhaps royal purple (*never seen that though! just an expression). But we know better that the concept of constant change is to prepare us for inevitable uncertainties which show up continuously altering our determined styles, schedules and paradigms. In other words, change is a continuous exercise, it is however desirable for change to be with positive attributes, impact and for improvement.

Change present itself to us in two ways ~ a need to change and demand for change. The need to change will always be differentiated from the demand for change, while need for change is as perceived by self or induced via a self assessment; the demand for change is by external force. The need for change perceived by self is always as defined by self and its limited to what an individual perceive of self, it is adjudged as easier to relate with unlike demand for change which defines expected change according to perception of an external input or force.

Every human is often faced with both sides of the coin ~ self-assessed need for change and external demand for change and a degree of both is essential to create a balance in our psyche. Largely, a self-assessed need for change reflects the existence of conscience while the existence of external demand and level of responsiveness to external demand for change indicates level of accountability. The ability to juggle both sides of the coin without loosing the essence of the coin or the value of the coin reflects a considerable level of maturity. Leadership abilities are also indicated by the degrees of responsiveness to the two-sided coin, in other words, leadership abilities will be appreciated by the existence of conscience and acts of conscience in good measure and sense of accountability. It is a correct assertion to say leaders are almost always change agents

Whatever side of coin we are faced with, it is laudable to submit to self-assessed need for change eventhough it can sometimes be tough while it is more important to focus on the potential and opportunities hidden in demand for change from external input/forces.

"Change hurts. It makes people insecure, confused, and angry. People want things to be the same as they've always been, because that makes life easier. But, if you're a leader, you can't let your people hang on to the past." ~ Richard Marcinko

"To live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often" ~ John Henry Newman .."

A little change gives change, a great change gives change. Change in whatever dimension or scope is a change. Change is no respecter of age, gender, status or religion.

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