So, here we are. About six weeks out from our conference in West Chester. The theme – Embracing Change. We are all interested in knowing what is going to change in our profession. And those are some of the things that I have written about this year - looking at some of the things that are likely to change in the future. But let’s take a step back and look at that title again: Embracing Change. There are two words here, not one. So in this article, let’s talk a little about the first word – “Embracing.”
I looked up quite a few definitions of 'embrace' online. The one that I liked the best as it relates to our field of endeavor is this one:
EMBRACE: To accept or support (a belief, theory, or change) willingly and enthusiastically.
We all know change will occur. We all know we have to deal with it at some point. But are we willing to embrace the change? I wanted to dig a little deeper into this. I’m not a psychologist, so I figured I should consult an expert – the internet. Take some time and “Google” the phrase “why we don’t embrace change.” You will only get about a kajillion returns. So let me summarize the most common reasons why we don’t embrace change, according to the internet.
Fear of the new or unknown
Fear of failure
Fear of pain, discomfort, or effort
Fear of success
Fear of criticism
Fear of making a decision
Fear of loss of power
Fear of loss of personal identity
And as Sonny and Cher said…"And the beat goes on" (for those of you old enough to get that).
So there are lots of reasons why we don’t embrace change.
Or is there really only one? FEAR.
Regardless of the object of the preposition, all of these phrases start with the same emotion- fear. We are all hard wired to experience fear. As its states in Psychology Today,
“In many situations, it is rational and prudent to fear. For example, if someone physically threatens you, the best response is to get away from that person as soon as possible. However, few of our interpersonal dealings involve such dire threats. It's more likely that you would fear those who may cause you to lose your job, relationships, self-esteem, or something else of high emotional value. It's important to examine your inner reactions to the people in your life in order to understand them, and yourself, that much better.
It is natural for us to gravitate to the things we know, understand and do all the time – façade projects, special events, etc. What is more difficult, and more fearful, is addressing the issues that are less familiar to us – real estate projects, social inequity in our town, dealing with unfamiliar faces, fundraising and development, etc.
Whether you are a board member, an executive director, a local volunteer or a program manager, if you are reading this, you may be like a crew member on a ship that is seeking a new world. You want change to take place. You want a better neighborhood, a stronger business district an improved quality of life for your town. You won’t get that result by standing still, by not moving. In order to get to a new place, you have to take the first step, then another and another. You may meet unexpected challenges that you fear. The journey may require you to learn new skills or obtain new knowledge that you fear. It may require you to interact with new people you meet along the way, those who may be unfamiliar, but who understand the path you are on better than you do. It may require you to admit shortcomings you have and to seek the help of others. And it will certainly require all of you on that ship, each with your own fears, to work toward the same goal - getting to that new world. And if there are other ships on the same journey, to learn from their experience and the fears that may have already overcome.
We all have fears: individually, as organizations, and as communities. Discussing those fears that hold us back from taking those first steps may be a great exercise for you to have with your board, committees and volunteers. You will be surprised by what you learn and by the new horizons that open up.
Mark Twain said: "20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the one’s you did. So throw off the bow-lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” I agree. Face your fears and enjoy the journey to the change you want to see.