Your Well Being Means Big Business for The Company and The Industrial Community

By Margaret Annen / Business Editor

Published in Industrial Community, The Industry Newspaper, Cameron County; June 2004

"Change is alive, … If you want to be a growing, dynamic, alive organization you need to be embracing change," proclaims Sharon Golden from Golden Performance Solutions in her informative presentation entitled "Leading, Managing, and Working In Times of Rapid Change." The presentation was given on May 5th at the Harlingen Manufacturer's Association monthly meeting.

Ms. Golden explained that people need to understand change and get more comfortable with it in order to accept it. "In business, many times people try to change without really changing…they go through the motions of change and make external changes, but their thinking doesn't change. The internal shift that results from a change in thinking is missing. It's the real key in making any change because it means you see something in a new way," she says.

In a group discussion during Ms. Golden's presentation, Mr. Waldemar (Wally) Welke commented that the biggest change industry is facing today, "no matter what location in the US, an important change is the growing market and how to beat the Chinese prices … how can we be competitive in a global market?" Ms. Golden responded by saying, "change is happening and it is happening very fast and it is not likely to slow down. It (change) challenges us on a daily basis. We need to be aware of how we can be leaders, managers and workers in these changing times."

When faced with change, we all tend to react in habitual ways. Some of these include: resisting change, holding on to the past and blaming or resenting others for the need to change. We often see only limited options that really restrict the potential choices we consider. In rapidly changing business climates, habitual responses to change and solutions we used in the past may no longer be appropriate because we're facing new and different situations that we've never experienced before.

Ms. Golden says, "Any time change is introduced to your business there will be an impact on the workers and the company as a whole." Changes within an organization tend to have a ripple effect that impacts business operations and the roles of individuals as well as the bottom line. When Ms. Golden asked about current changes in the business community and how business leaders in the group manage it, Ms. Norma Hinojosa from Hino Electric said, "Maybe we could get some outside help…In business I would suggest to talk to someone else from another business having similar problems or who has had similar problems in the past and they can maybe see something that we have never seen before." Ms. Golden also suggested the idea of a change management consultant, who could assist the company in developing a strategy to plan and implement desired business changes. "In any organization when a change initiative fails, the reason it fails is generally because of the people issues. The people were not prepared for the change, didn't understand, accept or support it or they were not trained for the impact of the change," she says.

Ms. Golden states, "Business leaders need to understand change and be open to it. This allows them to deal with necessary changes in their business and positions them for providing leadership that's in tune with the times. Having a comfort level with change and a business culture that supports it is critical for every business." In order to be able to successfully handle change and all the issues that accompany it, Ms. Golden confirms: "You need to be in a very alive and present place because the business solutions you've used in the past may no longer be appropriate today. The current climate in business requires the ability to see options that are new and fresh. This requires letting go of conditioned ways of looking at business and seeing potential options in a fresh new way. In a rapidly changing business, this ability to tap into creativity and innovation is more important than ever. "

During times of rapid change within your business, two keys for success are: the ability to respond in the moment and being open to options. "Only when you're focused on the present moment can you take appropriate action to do what you need to do.… only in the moment can you be open to what your best option is," Ms. Golden explains. She adds, "You need to tap into that place of wisdom that is within you and be able to take appropriate action now."

Another point of discussion that Ms. Golden made is the impact of state of mind within the work place. She stated that "the state of mind of leaders and workers determines the wellbeing of the organization. State of mind impacts everything that goes on within an organization, including business operations, culture, leadership, management, quality of goods or services produced, creativity in solving problems, receptivity to change, teamwork and relationships…Your state of mind determines your ability to take appropriate action." She affirms that a state of wellbeing leads to a high level of productivity, ability to make sound business decisions and take appropriate action, while an insecure state of mind is nonproductive."

"People's state of mind and the positive impact of working from a place of wellbeing is the most underutilized resource on the planet," stated Ms. Golden. "State of mind impacts all work outcomes, including the ability to change, lead, manage and work. When tapped, it's your greatest resource and when ignored, it's your biggest problem."

At the conclusion of her presentation, Ms. Golden suggested some activities to bring out your potential for leading, managing and working during changing times. She says, "You need to be aware of your own state of mind as well as the state of mind of others within the organization, keep your attention focused in the present and make important decisions from a positive state of mind. She also suggested creating quiet time in your day to slow down, relax and reflect." She stressed the importance of involving employees in creating change. "When individuals within the organization are involved in creating change, they can bring insightful solutions to improve business operations and their involvement helps to build the internal support that's critical for successful change."

Norma Hinojosa, Vice President of Public Relations, with HINO Electric Power Company, commented about Ms. Golden's presentation, "the presentation was very helpful and motivating…it has given me more ideas to take back to my office and share with my employees." Ms. Hinojosa continues saying, "I think most importantly is the state of mind and knowing how to relax and use these techniques and that is how we can become more productive in the work force and everybody is happy."