Can You Spare a Little Change?

This is my favorite time of year: the cooler weather, the comfort food, the colors of the leaves… The stereotypical fall in Indiana—pumpkin patches, hiking trips, scary movie nights—are quite a change from summers filled with sunshine and days spent on a lake. This change brings more joy to some than others, but it is inevitable for all us.

Recently, the ULEAD team attended a board and staff retreat. In addition to enjoying another fall favorite—making s’mores over a campfire, we took an in-depth look at our organization, our mission, and our people. And although we have a lot of questions ahead of us, we came to one conclusion. Some things need to change.

As is true for many others, we have already undergone quite a bit of change this year. Greater time spent in our “home offices”, a heightened focus on virtual programming, and the addition of two new team members has kept us all on our toes. As I type this, I think of each of these items in a positive light, but had you asked me my opinion back in March, you would have been met with much more trepidation. That’s what I find so interesting. Retrospection is an important tool when dealing with change. Change often seems scary or confusing, but taking time to look back on things that have happened allows you to better understand why such change needed to take place. Yes, change can be difficult and painful, and negative things can happen, but change is necessary for growth. As John Maxwell said, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” We must choose to find the why behind the change that happens in our lives. We may not understand it as we’re in the thick of it, but taking the time to reflect is what allows for growth.

As a company we now have greater appreciation for the time we have for in-person interactions and its magnitude in forming relationships. We have the ability to serve more and new people through virtual outlets. And we have literally grown our team which has allowed for new insights, increased creativity, and an amplified passion. It took a retrospective look at recent events to realize all of these positive impacts though. So, while we’re not exactly sure what changes are ahead of us, I know that however difficult they may be, they will support our growth.

And I hope the same for you. I encourage you to not look at change as a scary, inevitable fate, but instead as a foreseeable growth opportunity that needs further exploration. Because if a Midwest fall can teach us anything, it’s that change can be a beautiful thing.

Bekah Finch, Detail Specialist at ULEAD