Change and Creativity Aziz Premji

Fast changing world Change & uncertainty is part of life The quantity and suddenness of change in the recent past is shocking Every aspect of life is impacted by change

1. Be alert for the first signs of change Change descends on everyone equally. Some realize it faster. Sudden dramatic changes get attention. Gradual ones ignored. Story of a frog boiled to death in water when temperature increased slowly, one degree at a time. A frog in boiled water jumps out quickly and saves itself.

Develop your own early warning system. In case of change, being forewarned is forearmed.

2. Anticipate change even when things are going right. Not wait for things to go wrong to think of change, like going for check up when you are seriously sick. The biggest enemy of future success is past sucess. Guard against complecency all the time. It makes you blind to the early signals from the evironment that something is going wrong

3. Always look at the opportunities that change represents Managing change depends on our attitude to it. For every problem that change represents, there is an opportunity lurking in disguise somewhere. It is upto you to spot it before someone else does.

4. Do not allow routines to become chains For many people routine can obstruct change. Routine represents our zones of comfort. There is Predictability and structure in them Though they are useful, do not let them enslave you. Break out of them from time to time

5. Realize that fear of the unknown is natural With change there is feeling of insecurity. Fear of the unknown. Courage is not the absense of fear, but the ability to manage fear without getting paralysed. Feel the fear, but move on regardless.

6. Keep Renewing yourself Renewing oneself prepares you to anticipate change and be ready for it when it comes. Ask yourself what skills and competencies are needed The greatest benefit of education lies in working how to learn. In the world of tomorrow, only those will suceed who have mastered the art of rapid and on-going learning

7. Sorround yourself with people who are open to change If you are in the company of cynics, you will become like them. A Cynic knows all the reasons why something cannot be done. Choose your advisors and mentors correctly. “can-do” people. Pessimism is contagious just as enthusiasm. Reasonable optimism can be an amazing force multiplier.

8. Play to win It is not same as cutting corners. In playing to win, you stretch yourself to your maximum and use all your potential. You concentrate your energy on what you can influence than on worrying on what you cannot change. Do your best and leave the rest.

9. Respect yourself. The world will reward you on your successes. Success requires no explanation and failure permits none. Respect yourself enough to maintain self-confidence whether you suceed or fail. If you suceed 90% of the time, you are doing well. 100% times, ask if you take enough risks. If something goes wrong, learn from them.

A farmer’s donkey fell into a well A farmer’s donkey fell into a well. After failing much effort to pull it out, the farmer decided that the animal was old and needed to be covered up. He called his friends to help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. Seeing it the donkey cried horribly and quieted down. A few showel loads later, the farmer looked down to see something amazing. With every showel of dirt the donkey would shake the dirt off and take a step up, untill it came up. Life is going to showel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. Shake it off and take a step up!.

10. Never change your core values Inspite of all the change around you, decide what you will not change: your core values. Take time to decide what they are. Do not compromise on them for any reason. Integrity is one such value.

11.Succeeding in a changing world is beyond just surviving We need to create and contribute something to the world that has given us so much. Many have contributed to what we are today. We have a responsibility to utilize our potential for making the world a better place for others who are less fortunate and less endowed than us. Let us do our bit. One good deed can have multiple benefits for us and for many others.

A poor scottish farmer named Fleming heard a cry for help from a near by . dog. He dropped his tools and ran to the dog. There was a boy mired to his waist in black muck screaming and struggling to free himself. Fleming saved the boy from what could have been a slow terrific death. Next day a noble man came to his home and said that he was the father of the boy he saved and said,”I want to repay you. I will make you a deal. Let me educate your son and if he is anything like you, he will grow to a man you can be proud of.

In time farmer Fleming’s son graduated from the medical school in London and became Sir Alexander Fleming who discovered pencillin. Years later, the noble man’s son was stricken with Pneumonia. He was saved by Pencillin. The noble man’s son also made a great contribution to society. The noble man was Lord Randolf Churchil and his son was Winston Churchil. Let us use all our talent, competence and enery for creating peace and happiness in the world.

Change is the only thing that will never change. So better adapt to it.