As we move through our professional careers we are constantly being bombarded with change. Change is the only constant in life.  Everything evolves and progresses, sometimes for the better and some times for the worse, but always towards the future.  It is a fact that if there is no change, there is no progress.

As young professionals we are adaptable and open to new products, process and procedures, however as we mature in our careers we become resistant.  We believe that the way things have been done for the past ten years is the way they should stay.  Looking back at my own career, I would never imagine banking without savings passbooks, actual Certificates of Deposits and of course actual cancelled checks being returned to clients in their monthly statements. (If you don’t recognize some of these things- odds are they were before your time – Google them to see how far we’ve come in the past 30 years.)  A PC or fax machine, was not even a thought.  We were a well respected financial organization with CRT’s, Microfishe machines and monthly account ledger cards.  Signature cards were still housed at the Branch of account opening, and if you needed to verify a signature – good luck.

As technology grew in the late 80’s and 90’s, many bankers resisted the technological advances and were immediately left behind.  Those that excelled where the ones which embraced change the fastest, and learned to make it work. Whining and resistance led to many a demotion or termination, and invariably change happened anyway. This by no means is a call to drop things that work, but rather a call to be adaptable, open minded and progressive.

I think Mark Twain said it best, “The only person that likes change is a wet baby.” This being said, I feel strongly that the only way to make strides in life, both personal and professional, is to continuously move forward. Help your people embrace change and show them the benefits of evolving with the times. Success is never a destination, but rather a journey for which we must continuously strive, with many obstacles and hurdles, but also with many rewards.

“We cannot become what we need, by remaining what we are. If you desire growth, then you must embrace change.”   Max Depree