ISSUE 146 ISSN 1712-468

Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful, it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful, it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident, it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.

King Whitney Jr.

This Week's Inspiration

From
Why Aren’t You More Like Me?
Third Edition

Special Note: Depending on my writing schedule, the next few LOP ezines will contain portions of chapters from the Third Edition of Why Aren’t You More Like Me? that I am currently writing. At the end of this ezine, you’ll find information on how you can enjoy a prepublication discount on this stimulating book.

Change: The quality or power of inspiring belief; capacity for belief to make different in some particular way; alter; to make radically different; transform; to give a different position, course, or direction; to replace with another; to make a shift from one to another; switch; to undergo a modification; to become different; to pass from one phase to another.

Are You Ready and Willing to Change?

Awareness (outlined in the first chapter) is just the beginning.

Next, we examine 2 more elements of Change:
Readiness and Willingness.

  1. Readiness
  2. In our Readiness and Willingness to Change© Model,
    we define Readiness this way.

Readiness is the measure of a person’s ability to succeed in a given situation. It reflects and reveals how prepared and competent the person is to succeed before starting.

A person may be aware of a problem and yet does nothing about it. He sees the option of using round wheels but, for whatever reason, intentionally decides to keep his square wheels.

Areas to consider regarding Readiness for Change

Social:

Does the person have the interpersonal skills required for change?

Intercultural:

Does the person have the cultural knowledge to change?

Emotional:

Does the person have the emotional strength to change?

Spiritual:

Is the person ready to search for the meaning of life, the truth?

Mental:

Is the person cognitively able to learn what is needed to effect change?

Education:

Does the person have the education skills required for the change?

Physical:

Is the person physically ready to go through the change process?

Special Skills:

Does the person have the skills and training to successfully complete the responsibilities and tasks that are necessary for the change?

Style-Match:

Does the individual’s Personal Style match the roles and responsibilities of the new situation?

Example
You have noticed a growth on your right knee. Tests confirm it is benign, but no doctor is available to operate for several weeks. But don’t worry; I have always been interested in medicine—I recall dissecting frogs in high school. I’ve never been to medical school but I’ve watched a lot of medical programs on TV and I have tools in my shop. Come over to my home on Saturday around 10 and we’ll get that growth taken off!

What is your confidence level in my ability (Readiness) to operate?
None, right? I don’t have the skills or the abilities to do it.
I am not ready to operate, even though I am willing.

We’ll return to Readiness shortly.

  1. Willingness

The next element is Willingness, the measure of a person’s attitude and commitment toward success.

Areas to consider regarding Willingness to Change

Cooperating with others:

Does the person work collaboratively as a team member?

Learning from others:           

Does the person agree to let others teach him or her how to perform a task?

Helping others learn:           

Does the person agree to teach others how to perform a task?

Accepting self and others:

Does the person show affection and caring for self and others?

Being appreciated by others:

Does the person let others show recognition and caring to him or her?

Being friends with others:          

Does the person enjoy spending time with others?

Giving of self:         

Does the person permit others to benefit from his or her experiences?

Being authentic:

Does the person permit others to know his or her feelings, opinions, and beliefs?

Forgiving self and others:

Does the person commit to solving conflicts?

Letting go of habits:

Is the person willing to let go of what he or she has been doing—the status quo—and embrace new behavior that may be more acceptable to others?

Letting go of excuses:

Is the person willing to stop using multiple reasons (excuses) for not participating in opportunities?

Example
Many years ago, I worked in sales as a dairy specialist for an agricultural company. My sales tripled in my first 3 years and I was the top sales performer. During that time, I became engaged. Although it was a long-distance relationship—I was living in Vancouver, BC, and the lady was in Brisbane, Australia—it was manageable. I was in love and successful in my work and I had even started a small business on the side.

Everything was grand…until Valentine’s Day. My fiancée called from Down Under to say she had accepted a better offer. I was devastated. I lost 15 pounds in 15 days—the fastest weight-loss program in the world, but not recommended.

My sales performance started to slide.

If my sales manager had sent me to a sales-training refresher program on how to close the sale, would that have done any good? Not at all!

Ready and Willing Work Together

When we think of our success and the success of others in this life, we see we must be aware of our environment; we must be ready and willing to make the changes we seek or that others may be asking us to make.

Whether you work alone or with others, and things are not going well, is the lack of success a Readiness issue, a Willingness issue, or a combination of both?

The CRG Readiness and Willingness to Change© Model will equip you to understand yourself and others better than ever before.

Do you recall times when people—perhaps you—were promoted into jobs or roles without the proper training? Worse, they had few abilities (Readiness) to fulfill the responsibilities and little interest in the new job (Willingness). Rather than being forthright about the situation, their fear or pride put them into a no-fly zone. Soon, no one was happy with their work performance.

Over time, a shift in willingness can take place in the workplace. Individuals who were energized and very productive in their roles can lose interest. Maybe they are disappointed to learn their job role is not what they expected; perhaps the job style required by the position doesn’t match their Personal Style. As a result, their willingness decreases.

When you think about the level of your success and the success of others, keep in mind the concept of Readiness and Willingness.

Ask yourself this question: Am I not succeeding because of a lack of Readiness (ability) or a lack Willingness (attitude) to change… or both?

To help you answer that question, here is a grid that can be applied to just about any situation. We all have what I call a Situational Readiness and Willingness to Change.

Four Development Levels (D-Levels)

D-Levels

1

2

3

4

 

Resistant

Reasonable

Responsible

Resourceful

Ready to Change

Not ready; unable to proceed

Ready to consider change, to think and talk about it

Ready to get involved and learn how and what to change

Ready to develop full potential and skills levels

Willing to Change

Not willing; insecure; fights help

Willing to listen to alternatives

Willing to take action now

Willing to help others develop

This information expands each D-level.

Level 1: Resistant

Level 2: Reasonable

Level 3: Responsible

Level 4: Resourceful

Keep in mind Level 4 infers you are not only Ready and Willing to succeed yourself, you are ready and willing to help others do the same. Leading others to success requires quite a different skillset. Unless you are able to teach and inspire others in their success, consider Level 3 as your target.

How Ready and Willing are you to succeed?
Let’s find out.

Think of a situation or role in your life that you are currently evaluating, then answer the following questions.

  1. On a scale of 1 to 4, how ready to change
    do you think you are?

□ D1   Not ready
□ D2   Ready to think or talk about it
□ D3   Ready to learn how to do it
□ D4   Ready to teach others

  1. What blocks or challenges may be in the way
    of your Readiness to change?
 
 
 
 

  1. On a scale of 1 to 4, how willing to change
    do you think you are?

□ D1   Not willing
□ D2   Willing to think or talk about it
□ D3   Willing to learn how to do it
□ D4   Willing to teach others

  1. What blocks or challenges may be in the way
    of your Willingness to change?
 
 
 
 

Use that simple but powerful review process of your Readiness and Willingness to change in each and every situation in your life. Share it with others so they can be equipped and encouraged.

People really do want to live inspired lives, so get connected to your purpose and passion with these resources.

  1. CRG's calling is to assist others to live, lead, and work on purpose—including helping people discover their passion and learn how to live it, intentionally, every day. An On-Purpose person has a vibrant mind, body, and soul. Consider the following processes and assessments.


Special Announcement From Ken Keis

I am revising Why Aren't You More Like Me?
The Third Edition of this book is due for release in the Fall of 2010.

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Ken Keis


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