As the retail landscape changes with every new merger or acquisition at a pace never seen before, one can barely keep up with the daily news, much less how it impacts our careers and lives.

Home Depot wiping out divisions.
Kmart and Sears becoming one.
Hollywood Video and whomever.
Federated now owning their industry.
Toys “R” Us sold to non-retailers.

What’s next? And how does all this impact us? Tens of thousands of retail employees are wondering and worrying about their jobs and their futures. All of us are standing, watching, and waiting.

Speeding toward Change

Technology has allowed our world to change at a pace that almost appears dysfunctional; feeding speed and economies of scale driven by the need for performance without regard to long-term careers and lives invested in hope. The human element in each of us that desires stability and a slower pace has no recourse but to hold on and wish for the best. But at the end of the day, we have to acknowledge that the herd will be culled and that change is inevitable and knocking at the door for all of us.

While many of the leaders in the business world profess that change is a good thing, our inner self sits in the corner and searches for courage; spinning itself into a view of positive outcomes and hopes that allows it to once again stand and take on the day, all the while knowing that change brings uncertainties and that our natural instinct is to avoid uncertainties at all cost, whether in our professional lives or personal lives.

Yes, change can be a good thing. But as is the case with all good things, there is a flip side that is rarely mentioned or prepared for by most of us. And it is this flip side that we must all be aware of and accept as an inevitable cost of today’s technology-driven society; a society not yet truly defined by the sociologist or analyzed by the psychologist.

The Dichotomy of Change

As many experts have told us, change is one of the wonderful things about life, and it is through change that we can redefine ourselves and keep life fresh and exciting. Therein lies the dichotomy. On the one hand, we must embrace change for growth and newness, and on the other hand, we fight it to remain in control. Why? Because we all seek control in order to calm our fears and satisfy our egos. Change is about losing control and facing life without knowing what tomorrow brings, which ultimately gives rise to our insecurities—a condition all of us have at our inner core.

Change is, in fact, inevitable, but control is only in our mind and never truly exists other than in our own perceptions. Yet control is what all of us strive for each and every day in order to offset our own insecurities. It is when we’re out of control that we find what we’re truly made of.

Dealing with Change

Over the years I’ve dealt with thousands of people in corporate America facing the change process. I have seen the best...and the worst...of responses to change. Those responses reflective each individual’s ability to deal with a loss of control. The responses range from denial, anger, dysfunctional behaviors, and unrealistic expectations to excitement, happiness, and acceptance on the other extreme. But at the end of the day, all of these response were driven by the individual’s ability, or lack thereof, to see the positives of change and gather their inner strength to face tomorrow’s possibilities.

Yes, the landscape is changing faster today than ever before, and each of us has no recourse but to embrace it and hope for the best. Change is paving the road in front of us. We must have faith in ourselves, our abilities, and our inner strength in order to successfully travel it.

So, the next time you’re faced with change...and it will be soon...focus on the positives and seize the opportunity to create your own newness, because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

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