August 24, 2007

“You still look the same.”

“Thanks.”

“I didn’t say that it was necessarily a good thing.”

I hadn’t seen Steve for fifteen years until just a few weeks ago.  CJ2, the consulting firm where I’m a partner, had the good fortune of landing Steve to help with some exciting challenges one of our clients was facing.  My partners and I had worked with Steve in years past.  His reputation is remarkable. 

Steve and I renewed our acquaintance in a client’s parking lot, just prior to the meeting where we were to learn more about a project Steve would lead.  While we had spoken over the phone several times, our brief visit in the lot was our first face-to-face since the early 1990’s.  Steve and I had spent plenty of time in the trenches together and I was excited to see him.  Shortly after exchanging a hearty handshake, the conversation went like this:

Steve to me:  “You still look the same.” 

My response:  “Uh, thanks.”

Steve’s comeback:  “I didn’t say that it was necessarily a good thing.”

He had me.  While I had certainly changed, Steve’s sense of humor was still well in tact. 

We hear talk about change almost daily.  “Re-invent yourself,” say some.  Others tell us to “embrace change”.  While much may be within our capacity to change, other things change in spite of our efforts to keep them the same.  Still others cannot be changed at all.  Perhaps instead of talking about change, we should simply focus our efforts on getting better. 

If we can make something better or faster or more efficient, we ought to be about the business of doing it.  Meanwhile, we should remember there a few things, both personally and professionally, we cannot change.  Steve’s witty parking lot jibe reminded me that:

1. In spite of all our efforts, some things remain out of our control; and,
2. Our devotion to change should always include a target that makes us better.

Unfortunately, we spend too much time wringing our hands over circumstances beyond our superintendence, and too little time advancing in areas we can improve.  Here’s to getting better…