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By John W. Bul
February 19, 2009
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. - Charles Darwin
If you take a few minutes to think about it, 2008 has been an exciting year filled with opportunities, transition and historic events - both positive and negative. Our economy has been at the forefront for many months, affecting our business as well as our personal lives. Out of necessity, we have all been required to review our priorities, adjust our lifestyles and transition from “business as usual” to a more focused approach. We have all been driven to adapt to the rising cost of food, fuel and utilities as well as learning to deal with the credit crisis and the continuing woes on Wall Street. Politically, we are embarking on a journey with a new president who has expressed the need for change, both in ideology and direction.
The “silver lining” in this cloud of uncertainty is the decisions we make and action plans we implement now will serve us well, ultimately ensuring our success and prosperity in the future. This is true in both our personal and business lives. The first step is to individually and collectively take an honest look at where we have been, where we are now (and how we got there) and what steps need to be taken to reach our future goals. We have proven to ourselves that open-mindedness and ingenuity are the key ingredients to securing our success - Let’s Do It!
Positive change can often start by simply looking at things from a new or different perspective. Tomorrow, try driving to work taking a slightly different route. Be aware of your surroundings. There is an ever-changing world out there that you can only appreciate if you take the time to look. As the week goes on, enter your workplace through several different doors. You will be astounded by what you’ll see and learn by looking at things from a different perspective. Effective listening can also drive positive change. Take the time to really listen when someone speaks to you. Communication is a vital and powerful tool when used effectively, both professionally and personally.
The bottom line is that we can and will prosper if we take stock of ourselves, embrace change and make informed choices. Things don’t just “happen” to us-¦we all have a choice. Let’s take advantage of a Preventive Maintenance Plan (PM) to ensure our health in critical categories:
Business PM – Strategies to protect our assets: Equipment, Processes, and People.
Health PM – Take a Health Risk Assessment and make lifestyle changes to ensure personal health and longevity.
Financial PM– Put away the credit cards, take advantage of Flex Spending programs and 401(k) retirement accounts and avoid overspending.
We’ll get through this together if we develop our personal strategy and follow our Vision: Embrace Change!
John W. Bul, CMRP, is commercial manager, Webasto Roof Systems Inc.- Michigan Operations. He can be reached at [email protected].
