Thinking about my spring column as I snowshoed on the snow-packed trails of the Laurentians turned out to be a great way for me to recharge my batteries and get out of my comfort zone. Going off-trail allowed me to discover new scenery and to fall in the snow and get up laughing – a great metaphor for visualizing renewal, change and transformation, the question that lies at the heart of today’s column: what’s the best way for professionals to stay fresh and current in this day and age?
And what do I mean by staying fresh and current?
I mean being open to change, to transformation, to creativity and to innovation so you can keep meeting your clients’ needs and expectations. I also mean pressing the re-set button both personally and professionally.
And why do you need to stay fresh and current?
Well, the one thing we can all count on in life is change. Life is change and people have to adapt to it. Even though progress and advances are natural, so many people waste their time trying to keep things as they are. The great visionaries of this world have always looked to a brighter future. They’re not afraid of falling down. If they do, they just get back up so they can leave their mark on this world. “Staying fresh and current” means staying energized and relevant.
From a business perspective, staying fresh and current allows you to be a market leader who offers the latest technology, to be an expert in your domain and who is indispensable to your clients, and to anticipate market changes so you can stay a step ahead of the competition.
As you think about staying fresh and current, look inward and ask yourself:
- What new things have you done today?
- How healthy is your client base? Have you been losing clients?
- Do you have a high staff turnover rate?
- Do you stick to the same work routine ?
- Do you follow the same steps when you offer your products?
- Do you always buy from the same distributor?
- Do you always use the same rehearsed lines?
- How would you rate your motivation and your passion?
- Are you unconsciously resistant to change?
Here are 10 tips that can help you stay fresh and current:
- Define your intentions and goals: What added value do you want to create? What new thing could you introduce that would make a big difference to your clients? Who do you want to be?
- Don’t wait for all the answers to get going. Don’t worry about the where, the when or the how. Just dive in and trust yourself!
- Increase your knowledge by reading inspiring books or articles, take personal and professional workshops and brainstorm with people who inspire you.
- Use all the resources available to you: listen to and poll your clients, connect with social media, work with a mentor or coach.
- Slow down so it will be easier for you to bounce back: trial and error, falling down and getting back up, reversals, and detours are all inevitable. Take baby steps and don’t be afraid to ask for help from colleagues who are experts in their field.
- Package yourself.
- Practice resilience and have faith in your abilities. Be kind to yourself and see change as something to be enjoyed.
- Ask your team for feedback.
- Don’t stop at one success: If you succeed at one thing, you’ll tend to stay in this comfort zone. To quote a Chinese proverb, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.” Aim higher and farther!
- Innovate and be original: define your niche/sweet spot and be the best in this area.
Reinventing yourself and staying fresh and current is an ongoing process. Where you find your inspiration isn’t important; what matters is what you do with it. You
have to keep searching, listening, reading, learning and applying the “staying fresh and current” mantra to your work and life. Remember: Nothing is constant or permanent in life.
Being like the ostrich who buries its head in the sand won’t help you fix your problems, overcome your challenges or deal with tough times. Change will always be part of life. You can either go with the flow or do nothing and fade away. You can either get in the game and play to win or fold.
People who are open to staying fresh and current know that new technologies, new methods, new studies, new articles, and new social media sites crop up every day and that their business is hardly exempt from this reality. If you don’t stay fresh, someone else will. Healthy competition encourages businesses to overcome daily challenges so they can stay on top of their game. And with today’s widespread use of social media, it’s even more important to stay plugged in.
Trust me: If you’re not willing to regularly reinvent yourself and embrace change, someone else will sneak up from behind you and steal your thunder… and your market share!
So now that you know why it’s critical to stay fresh and current, what new things will you do today?
I invite you to leave your comments,
Christine Lecavalier
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