GRACE MASHABELA CONSULTING

Heraclitus said, “Nothing endures but change”.  In business, change is too often treated with hostility because of a lack of understanding of its role in life. Too often in business, to change your mind in peace, you must prove to peers that you are still quite stable and dependable. You are required to carry the burden of the change and sometimes even made to swear to protect others against the consequences of change. The problem with change in business is that no one likes it when they first encounter it. And to overcome this hostility, one must almost guarantee that the change they are proposing will not change anything.

No one can claim to not understand the reluctance to change. We all know this reluctance is linked to our fear of the unknown. And with us, it is fight or flight in the face of danger: there is nowhere where we are taught to wait it out and pet the danger in case it turns out to be completely harmless. Protect yourself! Protect your income! That is what we are inclined to do when charged at by a challenge. Think back to the time when the National Credit Act came into existence. Some just about accused government of trying to sink us by changing the way we created and managed debt. Only a few could have foreseen that the very change we all feared came to be one of the reasons we were shielded from an awful global economic recession. Again, change protected the future.

There are many good motivations for embracing change in business. If you are still an aspiring entrepreneur, waiting for the right moment to make a change, you know how difficult it is to wrap your mind around completely yielding to something new, no matter how much more you may want it. This fear of the unknown, coupled with the knowing and fear of failure, can cripple your childlike spirit of adventure and unshaken faith in a world of endless possibilities. Eventually, you are robbed of these possibilities and opportunity of growth.  Remember however that the biggest reason to embrace change is that you cannot stop it. “Nothing endures but change”. Things will either change around you, isolating you from the world you live in or change will force itself into your life and catch you completely off-guard.

 Changing your mind in business is a good show of leadership

Leaders are champions of change. When they look at a situation or challenge, they are able to spot at least one opportunity, in spite of how hopeless the situation may seem. Followers, on the other hand, are expected to follow a formula and not deviate too much from the beaten path. To survive as a follower, you must be able to define the status quo in your sleep; to be a great leader, you must learn to defy the status quo.

Changing your mind in business prepares you for failure

We have all heard of the phrase “calculated risk”. We know it means that change has been weighed and the risks of failure emanating from embracing that change eliminated or at least minimized. We trust “calculated risks” because they are least likely to hurt us. But, if as a leader you are accustomed to taking calculated risks far too often, you will miss the point of calculating a risk. The aim of calculating the risk of failure is not to eliminate failure but rather to prepare for it if and when it happens. 

Change brings out the best in people

Whether we like it or not, change (even under fire) can have a fantastically positive effect on people. What it does is it challenges mediocrity and lack of imagination. Very often when new things are forced on us, we either react dismally or spectacularly. Those who are dismal see before them their limitations in the face of such great adversity. Those who are spectacular see their own superpowers and begin to trust themselves enough to use them. When leading your business through change that has been “forced” on you, aim to motivate and inspire others (clients, staff, shareholders, partners) to recognize their own superpowers instead of focus on their limitations. 

Nothing endures but change- or change is the only constant

Heraclitus was right: there is nothing we can do to stop change. Leadership is about living on the precipice of possibilities instead of steeped in constants. Other people can follow the rules; you have to be in the habit of challenging the rules, questioning them, even changing them sometimes. Those who fail to do so are very often unpleasantly surprised by change. So whether change means letting go, starting afresh or simply being different/ better, go for it! Weigh what must be weighed and calculate what must be calculated but make a change. 

The GMC POWER BREAKFAST CLUB is a new inventive way to help entrepreneurs manage the cost of embracing change. The POWER BREAKFAST CLUB is a forum through which African business people can start or grow their enterprises, receive support and gain access to professional skills and services. For a membership fee of R100 per month ($10,10  USD), we can assist you to manage the following changes:

1.       Change of Boss

Start your own business- it is the best change you can ever make for yourself. We will help turn your idea or hobby into a profitable business model and help you through the initial admin of starting a new business (business registrations, business plan, etc.) 

2.       Change of Business

If something is not working quite well with a business idea you initially started, sit down with us and let us help you track down where and how things went wrong. Business consulting is a curse word amongst start up and small business entrepreneurs. It’s simply so costly! That’s why at GMC we have made consulting sessions a half hour longer than the standard one hour. In that time you can ask questions, strategize or sound your ideas out to your satisfaction. 

3.       Change of Environment

Political unrest, economic meltdowns, even death and divorce: some factors will sneak up on you and destroy your neat little plans for quiet success. GMC can provide a crisis management team, like they have in corporations, to help you out of sticky situations that are not completely of your making. Think of it as your own peace corps in the middle of a war. In this case, you can receive assistance with your financial, tax, legal, marketing and operational challenges.  

4.       Change of Pace

Sometimes, you simply cannot get out of bed to face another steep, steep day. You are exhausted and even your body is developing symptoms of sudden illness. You don’t have the manpower to cover for you or money to hire temps, so you reluctantly drag yourself into the office at the expense of your own health and well-being. GMC has a remote office admin and sales solution that ensures your business responsibilities are taken care of. We don’t hire temp staff for you but simply avail professional skills (telecommuters) to take care of your clients and administration on your behalf.  

       Meanwhile, we will support you through your health challenges by ensuring you keep fit, eat healthy and get plenty of rest    
       every day during your downtime.

There is nothing more frightening than the possibility of failure. We all experience this fear and are bound to design a future fueled by this fear. However, this life is your ship to sail. If you keep fearing you will steer it into an iceberg, you will probably sink right on the spot or never get to leave the harbor. Change today. Take a baby step if you must but keep moving, evolving, being better.  You may just surprise yourself.

--

TO JOIN THE GMC POWER BREAKFAST CLUB, CLICK THIS LINK TO COMPLETE AN APPLICATION FORM:

https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=GTH2sb3dADgVSOEC5-q7yw

Heraclitus said, “Nothing endures but change”.  In business, change is too often treated with hostility because of a lack of understanding of its role in life. Too often in business, to change your mind in peace, you must prove to peers that you are still quite stable and dependable. You are required to carry the burden of the change and sometimes even made to swear to protect others against the consequences of change. The problem with change in business is that no one likes it when they first encounter it. And to overcome this hostility, one must almost guarantee that the change they are proposing will not change anything.

No one can claim to not understand the reluctance to change. We all know this reluctance is linked to our fear of the unknown. And with us, it is fight or flight in the face of danger: there is nowhere where we are taught to wait it out and pet the danger in case it turns out to be completely harmless. Protect yourself! Protect your income! That is what we are inclined to do when charged at by a challenge. Think back to the time when the National Credit Act came into existence. Some just about accused government of trying to sink us by changing the way we created and managed debt. Only a few could have foreseen that the very change we all feared came to be one of the reasons we were shielded from an awful global economic recession. Again, change protected the future.

There are many good motivations for embracing change in business. If you are still an aspiring entrepreneur, waiting for the right moment to make a change, you know how difficult it is to wrap your mind around completely yielding to something new, no matter how much more you may want it. This fear of the unknown, coupled with the knowing and fear of failure, can cripple your childlike spirit of adventure and unshaken faith in a world of endless possibilities. Eventually, you are robbed of these possibilities and opportunity of growth.  Remember however that the biggest reason to embrace change is that you cannot stop it. “Nothing endures but change”. Things will either change around you, isolating you from the world you live in or change will force itself into your life and catch you completely off-guard.

 Changing your mind in business is a good show of leadership

Leaders are champions of change. When they look at a situation or challenge, they are able to spot at least one opportunity, in spite of how hopeless the situation may seem. Followers, on the other hand, are expected to follow a formula and not deviate too much from the beaten path. To survive as a follower, you must be able to define the status quo in your sleep; to be a great leader, you must learn to defy the status quo.

Changing your mind in business prepares you for failure

We have all heard of the phrase “calculated risk”. We know it means that change has been weighed and the risks of failure emanating from embracing that change eliminated or at least minimized. We trust “calculated risks” because they are least likely to hurt us. But, if as a leader you are accustomed to taking calculated risks far too often, you will miss the point of calculating a risk. The aim of calculating the risk of failure is not to eliminate failure but rather to prepare for it if and when it happens. 

Change brings out the best in people

Whether we like it or not, change (even under fire) can have a fantastically positive effect on people. What it does is it challenges mediocrity and lack of imagination. Very often when new things are forced on us, we either react dismally or spectacularly. Those who are dismal see before them their limitations in the face of such great adversity. Those who are spectacular see their own superpowers and begin to trust themselves enough to use them. When leading your business through change that has been “forced” on you, aim to motivate and inspire others (clients, staff, shareholders, partners) to recognize their own superpowers instead of focus on their limitations. 

Nothing endures but change- or change is the only constant

Heraclitus was right: there is nothing we can do to stop change. Leadership is about living on the precipice of possibilities instead of steeped in constants. Other people can follow the rules; you have to be in the habit of challenging the rules, questioning them, even changing them sometimes. Those who fail to do so are very often unpleasantly surprised by change. So whether change means letting go, starting afresh or simply being different/ better, go for it! Weigh what must be weighed and calculate what must be calculated but make a change. 

The GMC POWER BREAKFAST CLUB is a new inventive way to help entrepreneurs manage the cost of embracing change. The POWER BREAKFAST CLUB is a forum through which African business people can start or grow their enterprises, receive support and gain access to professional skills and services. For a membership fee of R100 per month ($10,10  USD), we can assist you to manage the following changes:

1.       Change of Boss

Start your own business- it is the best change you can ever make for yourself. We will help turn your idea or hobby into a profitable business model and help you through the initial admin of starting a new business (business registrations, business plan, etc.) 

2.       Change of Business

If something is not working quite well with a business idea you initially started, sit down with us and let us help you track down where and how things went wrong. Business consulting is a curse word amongst start up and small business entrepreneurs. It’s simply so costly! That’s why at GMC we have made consulting sessions a half hour longer than the standard one hour. In that time you can ask questions, strategize or sound your ideas out to your satisfaction. 

3.       Change of Environment

Political unrest, economic meltdowns, even death and divorce: some factors will sneak up on you and destroy your neat little plans for quiet success. GMC can provide a crisis management team, like they have in corporations, to help you out of sticky situations that are not completely of your making. Think of it as your own peace corps in the middle of a war. In this case, you can receive assistance with your financial, tax, legal, marketing and operational challenges.  

4.       Change of Pace

Sometimes, you simply cannot get out of bed to face another steep, steep day. You are exhausted and even your body is developing symptoms of sudden illness. You don’t have the manpower to cover for you or money to hire temps, so you reluctantly drag yourself into the office at the expense of your own health and well-being. GMC has a remote office admin and sales solution that ensures your business responsibilities are taken care of. We don’t hire temp staff for you but simply avail professional skills (telecommuters) to take care of your clients and administration on your behalf.  

       Meanwhile, we will support you through your health challenges by ensuring you keep fit, eat healthy and get plenty of rest    
       every day during your downtime.

There is nothing more frightening than the possibility of failure. We all experience this fear and are bound to design a future fueled by this fear. However, this life is your ship to sail. If you keep fearing you will steer it into an iceberg, you will probably sink right on the spot or never get to leave the harbor. Change today. Take a baby step if you must but keep moving, evolving, being better.  You may just surprise yourself.

--

TO JOIN THE GMC POWER BREAKFAST CLUB, CLICK THIS LINK TO COMPLETE AN APPLICATION FORM:

https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=GTH2sb3dADgVSOEC5-q7yw