Oil and Time-Two Precious Resources

I’m currently in Saudi Arabia working with Saudi Aramco, the largest oil company in the world. As most anyone knows, oil is the lifeblood of this region. It’s plentiful supply has allowed the country to grow in ways almost unimaginable-but that could be changing. One statistic I have heard frequently is that due to population growth by 2030 Saudi Arabia could be a net importer of energy. That’s right-an importer of energy. One of their challenges is that energy costs have been so low due to the incredible supply here in Saudi Arabia that people aren’t looking to use it as wisely. Right now, per liter, oil is cheaper than water.

Their dilemma with a potential future energy crisis mirrors much of how we look at our time resources. When we don’t see the incredible value in investing each moment in accomplishing what is important, we more carelessly spend our time. It’s only when we begin to see the reality of our actions (i.e. my kids are almost grown and there was so much I wanted to do with them), that we are hit with the need to revisit our priorities.

Led by Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia is looking to start making changes now to avoid potential problems in the future. Like them, we need to be in constant analysis of the use of our time resources so we don’t find ourselves with unfinished priorities, dreams or goals-and no resources to make them a reality.

The Dangerous "d" in Change

You've made the case for change, shown others a desirable outcome to be experienced, and shown them the path to make the journey. If they still aren't willing to engage in new attitudes or actions, perhaps it's the "d" they keep adding to the word "change." And as my friend Alan Kaniss reminds me, people aren't necessarily averse to change, but they don't like being changed.

The idea connects strongly with my thought that change has to be cultivated within an organization and not forced, driven, or simply led. All the best practices related to change are necessary, but the goal should be to help them to see the benefits of change and how they can make the journey instead of the purpose of telling them that what they are doing is inadequate and they (and/or their skills or work habits) need to be changed. Once they take the first step on their own, celebrate it, and continue to provide the environment where they are encouraged to take the next step.

Light bulbs, batteries and diapers need to be changed. People, on the other hand, need the vision, motiviation, guidance, and support to change.

Three Ways To Make Change Permanent

My friend Sean has a comprehensive yet simple way to make change more permanent in his life. When he wants a new idea or behavior to become part of the fabric of his daily activities, he applies the change to his work or life in three ways:

• Tell
• Write
• Memorize

When you tell someone about the desired change, you are clarifying your thoughts around the change and possibly gaining support from someone else (or forcing yourself to make sure the change is valid if they challenge you).

Writing down the change, or how you want to take action on it, connects it more strongly to your mind.

While you don't need to memorize the change, you may want to memorize a quote or information related to the change. For example, when I found myself feeling in a rut and needing to change, I memorized quotes like, "Life is daring adventure or nothing" by Helen Keller.

I'd add another one to his list-visualize. When we focus on the desired outcomes from the change it keeps us motivated to stay the course with the new attitudes or actions.

How's The View?

A popular trend a few years ago was the building of mazes using cornfields or other vegetation as the walls. To date, I have finished only one (it was easy.) My worst experience was in Hawaii, at the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Crafted from over 14,000 plants, you can go for miles and never find your way out! After about an hour in the scorching August sun, I didn't care what was at the end of the maze (It's a pineapple).

Ironically, if you can look down on the maze from overhead, the view is very different and your eyes immediately start working along the plants and numerous turns to figure a way out. At one maze where I had given up, I stood in an observation tower and thought, "From up here, it just seems so easy." In fact I was extremely close to completing the maze before giving up.

Working through change offers a similar dilemma. When you are in the maze of the change, it can seem like you are making little progress. Frustration and disappointment set in if success isn't quickly found. In those moments it is imperative that you remind yourself of the larger view-the end result and benefits from making the change. If you can't gain sight of them, ask someone with a better view than you to help you see where all this activity is leading. If you don't, then you may just quit when you are about to make it through the maze.

The "Trick" of Successful Change

I came across an intriguing quote by Leonardo Da Vinci. It reads:

Life is pretty simple: You do some stuff. Most fails. Some works. You do more of what works. If it works big, others quickly copy it. Then you do something else. The trick is the doing something else.

As I read the quote I thought, "That's the "trick" to successful change, too-doing something else." If you are struggling with a professional or personal change, maybe you need to employ some "tricks" of your own to move forward. They might include:

• Maintain a vision of the most positive outcome of a successful change and the most negative outcome of not changing. Granted, neither will probably be the actual outcome, but you are creating a gap and uncertainty that encourages movement. We crave comfort and normalcy.
• If the change involves others who are resisting the new direction, show them how the change is really their idea. They may not have suggested the change, but something they said in the past probably supports the change-and they have forgotten what they said earlier.
• Over reward yourself for taking the first steps forward with the change. As you continue making progress, your motivation will move from extrinsic to intrinsic as you see the desired results becoming a reality.

Just don't trick yourself into thinking that you don't need to change.