SHAPING STRATEGY
Creative Change, Planting the Seeds of Innovative Growth
DWIGHT BARNHARD, SUPERIOR ALUMINUM CASTINGS INC., INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI
“Tink of managing change as an adventure. It tests your skills and abilities. It brings forth talent that may have been dormant. Change is also a training ground for leadership. When we think of leaders, we remember times of change, innovation and conflict. Leadership is often about shaping a new way of life. To do that, you must advance change, take risks and accept responsibility for making change happen.”—Charles E. Rice
particularly when it involves apply- ing new technology to her life. She is cautious and gives careful study to the financial and lifestyle cost of our high tech world. While my friend doesn’t eagerly seek change, she will embrace it when she understands the positive relevance change brings to her life. And while she still owns a flip phone, she recently has become proficient with her iPad, emailing friends and FaceTiming with grandchildren. I have another friend who is cut-
I
ting edge and techy in every sense of the word. He’s the first to have a beta version of whatever new gadget Sili- con Valley creates. He’s the guy who drives the price down for those of us who wait for the paradigm to shift. Today’s pace of technology-driven
change seems to travel at light speed, which presents an interesting and sometimes daunting challenge. As leaders of our organizations, we face similar challenges in evaluating change without becoming apathetic due to change overload. It’s easy with the volume of change to throw up our hands and say, “What’s the use?” As John Maxwell, founder of Te Injoy Group, states, “Neither size, previous success, tradition, nor a once loyal cus- tomer base can protect an organization from apathy toward change.” While my friends deal with this challenge differently, they both nurture the seeds of change in a manner that works for their personalities and lifestyles. Tey’re not apathetic about the world changing around them, and they take steps to make change a positive force in their lives. How we consider and approach change are key factors in making
50 | MODERN CASTING September 2013
have a friend who I’ve known since high school. I would describe her as traditional in most aspects,
change relevant and creative. Whether it is customer expectations, government regulations or individual life issues, change is part of everyday life. Isaac Asimov puts change in perspective: “Te only constant is change, continu- ing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as
“Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity— not a threat.”
it will be.” While the specific change that is affecting us may not seem with- in our sphere of influence, our response to change can make the difference in creating an innovative outcome. Imaginative concepts to visualize
and learn about change can be found in Hans Finzel’s book, “Change Is Like a Slinky.” Compared to today’s handheld digital marvels, Slinkys are low-tech toys. But underneath the “cascading down the stairway” basic physics of a Slinky lay deeper possi- bilities that relate to change. Consider several of the author’s comparisons of the Slinky and change. “You have to take it out of the box to have fun with it.” Change requires acceptance. “Somebody has to launch it on its way.” Creative change is founded in leadership. “Te course it takes once it begins is entirely unpredictable.” We humans like predictable results; change doesn’t always work that way.
“It routinely gets stuck halfway down the stairs and has to be relaunched.” Making change creative often requires a tenacious spirit. And my favorite comparison, “Before it is launched, it has stored potential energy—when launched, that energy force becomes kinetic energy.” Addressing change in a creative manner releases human potential in ways that generate innova- tive outcomes. Creative change requires critical
thinking. As defined by
wisegeek.org, “Critical thinking is the ability to apply reasoning and logic to new or unfa- miliar ideas, opinions and situations. Tinking critically involves seeing things in an open-minded way and examining an idea or concept from as many angles as possible. Tis important skill allows people to look past their own views of the world and to better understand the opinions of others.” Like critical thinking, making change innovative is a skill that can be learned. Te metalcasting process provides
a graphic example of change. Taking an object that is deemed scrap or void of useful shape and turning it into a product that improves our way of life is innovative change. A wise person once said, “Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity—not a threat.” Te opportunities to plant seeds of innovative growth are waiting to be nurtured by open minds that allow themselves and others to release their highest potential. By the way, that friend I’ve known since high school is my bride of 48 years. By the time this column is printed, she will be experiencing a medical metalcasting innovation in the form of a total knee replacement. Now that’s creative change.
Dwight Barnhard is co-owner of Superior Aluminum Castings Inc., Independence, Mo.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68