Though that title may strike you as a bit abrasive, there’s nothing new with the idea: Change is inevitable. Either you adapt and change, develop new skills or technologies, or you’ll die as a business or you’ll lose your job as an employee. There are no other options.

Change is inevitable. Either you adapt and change, develop new skills or technologies, or you’ll die as a business or you’ll lose your job as an employee. There are no other options.

According to Oxford University research, 47% of U.S. jobs are at high risk of becoming automated in the next 20 years. As a business leader, what should you do?

A) Become frustrated because this ever-increasing cycle of change, automation, and employee reductions is not going away and will only continue to make life difficult for you and your team.

Or…

B) Take intentional action now. Ramp up your conversations and actions with your leadership teams and employees on where your organization is headed. Communicate what changes are needed to get your organization to where you want it to be, and clearly convey what changes are needed of every position within your organization to make the evolution as seamless as possible.

Take intentional action now. Ramp up your conversations and actions with your leadership teams and employees on where your organization is headed. Communicate what changes are needed to get your organization to where you want it to be, and clearly convey what changes are needed of every position within your organization to make the evolution as seamless as possible.

However, here’s the most important step, ensure every single team member – every one – understands that he or she is responsible to learn, develop, and grow every day. Showing up, doing what you’re told, and following a routine is no longer an option. Doing what you’ve always done, in the same way, doesn’t work any longer. Each day, every employee should be looking for a new opportunity to learn a new aspect of the job; discover something new about a customer; suggest one improvement to a process; or somehow identify a way to make him or herself even more valuable to the company, team, and customers. When that happens, morale increases, engagement increases, productivity increases, customer satisfaction increases, growth increases, profits increase, and pay increases. Change, when done right, works.

Evolutionary change — because of environmental, business and technology factors — when not done right, leads to drops in morale, engagement, productivity, customer satisfaction, growth, profits, pay, etc.

Ensure every single team member – every one – understands that he or she is responsible to learn, develop, and grow every day.

As a leader, which option are you going to put into play now? Will you adapt, develop and grow, or die?

Copyright MMXV Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC.