What To Do With Change

Leading Through Change

Change… The one thing that never changes. You can always expect there to be change in your life and leadership.

Change is a constant. You’re not going to escape from it though many people try to avoid change.

Person standing tall looking into the sun

Photo by Bryan Minear

This brings up a valid question about change. The question?

What to do with change?

Every leader needs to ask themselves this question. You need to have an idea of what change is coming and what you can do with the change.

There are many leaders who aren’t willing to answer this question. For them, their leadership days are numbered. For you, faithful reader, the answer is different.

You know you can’t ignore the question. You have to be willing to answer this defining leadership question.

What To Do With Change

There are two things you can do with change. One will help you to continue growing. The other will stunt your growth as a leader.

It’s Okay If People Don’t Take You Seriously

Being Taken Seriously

While we all desire to be taken seriously, especially those of us leading teams, what happens if people don’t take us seriously? Is it a problem to struggle in this area? Will it derail your ability to lead?

These are all great questions. They’re questions that need to be answered.

Woman slouched against a wall

Photo by Eric Ward

Knowing how to be taken seriously will help you become a better, more trusted leader. When you’re not taken seriously, your ability to lead can suffer.

This may sound like I’m condemning the leaders who aren’t taken seriously. The ones whose teams can’t look them in the eye without laughing or smirking.

Maybe that’s you. Maybe it’s another leader you know. Either way, this is troubling.

But don’t fret. It’s okay if people don’t take you seriously. You’re not out of the running as a leader just because people fail to take you seriously. You can still lead… And lead well when you’re not taken seriously.

Let It Go

Every person has been hurt at one point or another in their lives. Some people will hold onto these hurts longer than they should. I know… I was one of those people.

A young man holding his left shoulder in a black and white picture

Photo by Mitchell Hollander

Our past hurts will hurt us as long as we let them. They will fester and grow if we continue to feed them. And these hurts will cause us to hurt other people.

I’m not sure who said it but there’s a famous quote about hurt people. It goes:

Hurt people, hurt people.

Hurt People, Hurt People

This quote is true. Hurt people will hurt other people, either intentionally or unintentionally. The pain and bitterness one has from a past hurt will rise up and lash out at those you are near.

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From X-Men: Dark Phoenix

A Reel Leadership Article

While Marvel Studios has been crushing superhero films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, 20th Century Fox has been building the X-Men universe through their X-Men films. X-Men: Dark Phoenix marks the 12th film set in their series.

X-Men: The Dark Phoenix is also the last X-Men film to be produced by 20th Century Fox (there is an upcoming New Mutants film that may be a part of this universe). It’s the swan song to what started many great adventures of the X-Men.

Professor X, Magneto, and Jean Grey in promotional image for X-Men Dark Phoenix

As we begin to enter the final films of the 20th Century Fox film universe, X-Men: Dark Phoenix is a fitting end to the series. You get an out of this world movie with a well-done ending.

Better Isn’t Always Better

There’s been so many innovative, awe-inspiring inventions in the last couple of decades that it is mindblowing. The Apple iPhone, high-speed internet, DVR… All of these inventions were improvements upon something we already had.

Photo of cool car

Photo by Yuvraj Singh

The iPhone allowed the average phone user to carry a mini-computer inside of their phone. High-speed internet drastically reduced the time it took to browse the internet (or download music). And DVRs allowed television viewers the opportunity to record live TV and watch it at their leisure.

All cool things. All things that improved our lives. Or so we think.

Is it really better to have 200 channels to channel surf through? Can you really find something on Netflix to watch with all of the choices available? What about recording all of the television shows you want to watch (but never get the chance to)?