Scott Peck, in his book "The Road Less Traveled," stated, “Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult – once we truly understand and accept it – then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.” Peck identifies the process of confronting and solving problems as what makes life difficult, emphasizing that life is a perpetual journey of challenges and joys.

Let’s delve into a couple of truths about change and how we can recognize and accept them, knowing that change is the only constant in our world:

TRUTH #1: Changes are ubiquitous in every moment of our lives. Did you know that the volume of knowledge doubles every 12 hours, a stark contrast to the 25-year doubling rate in 1945. In fact, one weekly issue of the New York Times contains more information than the average person was likely to come across in a lifetime in the 17th century.

The sheer volume of information bombarding us daily, from emails to social media updates, reflects the perpetual state of change. Our lives are a continuous series of actions, decisions, and adaptations, shaping our experiences and trajectories. As Jeff Feldman and Karl Mulle, in Put Emotional Intelligence to Work, assert, change is pervasive in the workplace, driven by technological advancements and the need for constant improvement. Similarly, Kathy Dempsey, in Shed or You’re Dead, underscores life's essence as a cycle of change, emphasizing the necessity of shedding the old to embrace the new.

TRUTH #2: Our inclination to maintain the status quo often leads us to resist change. Both our physical and emotional well-being tend to gravitate towards stability and security. According to Herzberg's Theory on Motivation, individuals inherently seek to avoid pain and dissatisfaction. Similarly, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs highlights safety and security as fundamental human requirements. However, the contemporary landscape demands adaptability and resilience in the face of constant change.

While our natural inclination may be to resist change to safeguard our comfort, embracing change is essential for growth and progress.

Change poses unique challenges for communities, often triggering resistance and nostalgia for a bygone era. However, as you all know, stagnation is not a viable option for communities seeking growth and vitality. As agents of change, community leaders play a pivotal role in guiding positive transformations. The Principle of Inertia suggests that objects remain in their current state until acted upon by an external force. Likewise, communities require proactive leadership to navigate change effectively. The reluctance to embrace change can hinder progress, making it imperative for leaders to champion transformative initiatives.

In essence, embracing change is not merely about acquiescing to external forces but about proactively shaping the future. As community leaders, it is our responsibility to steer change towards positive outcomes, fostering growth, resilience, and prosperity.

Change is perhaps the hardest thing for a community and workplace. The entrance of something new, the absence of something old has a tendency to put a community on edge. Think of the saying, ‘the good ol’ days’ and try not to imagine a nostalgic time in your community where it’s described as more peaceful, more helpful, and more relational.

Unfortunately, change is constant and when we look at a community we know it must change if it is to continue to grow. In fact, a community that does not change will be severely crippled and possibly wither away. The sad part in all of this is that the communities that need change the most are the ones that do the most to stop it from happening.

We know we must change and perhaps we even invite change into a community. For many of our dynamic community leaders, they look forward to change and newness. However, purposeful change doesn’t just happen. It must be built from the ground up. We must be the agents of change especially if change is worthwhile. The biggest enemy of change is not “no;” it’s saying, “not yet.” ‘Not yet’ kicks the proverbial can down the road for the next administration, election, executive, or generation.

We must be change agents. If change will already happen constantly, we must work as community leaders to guide that change for the better.

We will spend some time over the next few weeks diving deep into change so that we can better understand, with fanatic discipline and empirical creativity, how we can master change.