Simple Steps for Transformation

Definition trans • for • ma • tion [trans-fer-mey-shuh n]: In a running a business context, a process of profound and radical change that orients a running a business in a new direction and takes it to an entirely different level of effectiveness. Unlike ‘turnaround’ (which implies incremental progress on the same plane) transformation implies a basic change of character and little or no resemblance with the past configuration or structure. Recently I attended a summit in Boulder, Colorado. It was exciting and exhilarating as the room was full with successful women entrepreneurs looking for help in running a business or to start a business. These female entrepreneurs were poised to make big transformations. We all learned a lot of new skills and tools, but even more importantly, every person in the room learned something at very deep levels about themselves. Many of the people had an opportunity to stand up and share with the room what they learned and how it impacted them right there on the spot. As I listened to each one, I immediately saw a pattern emerge that anyone can use to make dramatic changes; in other words, transformations in their lives and running a business. Most of the people spoke about, in one way or another, an intention they had set for their time at the summit. They came with a clear idea of what they wanted to achieve, learn or transform by showing up and investing their time. When they spoke about the intention, it included a big outcome; a major shift in their life and in running a business. By identifying their intention, they actually focused their concentration and their subconscious so that when they could quickly identify the information that they needed in order to make the leap that they did. Without setting an intention, the mind can overlook or miss something as it hasn’t been given an instruction. Intention is purposeful. Setting an intention for a transformation is preparing the way for a quantum leap. Small changes just won’t do. It’s quite the contrary. Quantum leaps demand that we must be willing to be bold and daring for women owned businesses. The next step that emerged was how the people left themselves open to not only receive the information, but for the intended transformation. They took the guard off that we all so often use to screen out information that doesn’t fit with our internal beliefs. This guard causes us to automatically overlook, ignore or scrap life-changing information. This is part of everyone’s paradigm or conditioning. We are taught things that we believe, holding as absolute truth and will defend to the end by creating everything we see in our world so that it fits to those beliefs that we are holding. The stronger the desire for a transformation from the point that one stands right now to a quantum leap demands breaking away from a limiting belief. You cannot keep doing what you’ve always done and expect a different result. This leads to the next step which is declaration. Once each person saw what was holding them back or stuck where they were; they were no longer willing to play it small. Now, armed with their new belief, they staked their claim and declared their desired outcome. It’s this decision that will start drawing whatever they will need to them to move towards the outcome. Declaration is particularly important when you need to get others involved to transform the way you are running a business. People need to know where you as the business owner are taking them. It’s quite possible that you will not know what step you should take at that point, but by declaring the new intention to make a quantum leap, busting out of the trap of doing things the way you’ve always done them and looking for new and better ways of running a business is enough to start moving on. Start getting other people’s buy-in to your new vision. Ask empowering questions to gain support and build on each other’s ideas. Your enthusiasm for making the shift and going after the intended outcome must come across powerfully and strongly. Whenever we go to make changes, people’s fears come up and they will want to stay in their comfort zones. Your desired outcome and commitment to it has to be huge so that people will be moved past their fears and do it anyway.