Last week I wrote about beginning the business realignment process by putting the human first. Start by understanding what you need from the business, make those needs part of the redesign from the beginning, then use your strategic savvy to realign your business from there.
Human first, business strategy second.
If only that were the end of the story.
We often think that once we understand what needs to change, we’ll feel clear, confident, and ready to move forward. And sometimes we do.
But other times, clarity simply gives us a much better view of how complicated or emotional the change is going to be.
We may realize that we need to stop offering work that people still want to buy. Change a business model that still makes good money. Step away from a role we’re known and respected for. Reduce the size of a team we deeply care about. Work less even though it means earning less. Become less visible after spending years building an audience. Or make a change that affects clients, employees, collaborators, or family members.
Knowing what needs to change doesn’t suddenly make the change less complicated, emotional, or gut-wrenching.
Whatever your reactions are to the changes you see ahead, they matter. They don’t, however, necessarily mean, “Don’t do this.”
Uncomfortable feelings aren’t automatically a sign you’re making the wrong decision. But the answer may change how you make the decision without changing the decision itself. Or may show you that something genuinely needs to be reconsidered, delayed, or handled with care.
Meaningful change often involves losing something real and good alongside gaining something necessary. The old version of the business may no longer work for you, and parts of it may still matter deeply.
Both can be true, but the fact that the change is hard doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t follow through.
Which has me wondering …
Have you ever known that something in your business needed to change and but felt awful at the thought of changing it? Did the discomfort change the decision itself or how you needed to make it?
I’d love to know if and how you relate to this. Fill me in, and I’ll personally respond.
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