Welcome to the most colorful time of year! With the fall season at the midway point, nature lovers are picking out their viewing spots. Depending on the region, some have already begun enjoying bright leaf colors. The yellow, orange, brown and gold seem to magically appear. But there’s a science of change that produces what we see. The dominant green color of leaves is due to chlorophyll pigmentation that keeps leaves staying healthy during the growing season. As daylight hours shorten and cooler temps arrive, chlorophyll takes a back seat and other colors shine through as a rebrand on nature.
Our nation is also approaching a season of change, with the midterm elections on deck. While that voting period rolls around every two years, it doesn’t mean that change can only happen on that schedule. It’s been said that change is the only constant in life. The four seasons in weather might have a certain cycle, but each day there’s some change that’s happening in us as individuals in mind, body or inner core, even if not entirely visible. Plus, when people or companies want new results, they don’t just wave a wand but put a rebrand on it. In other words, change is key to human development and market advancement.
A big sports news these days is the start of another pro basketball season with Lebron James suiting up under different colors. Over his career he’s changed teams to work on reaching his full potential and winning multiple championships. That doesn’t come easy as there are often financial strings, emotional things and other trappings that must get cut or rewired in the process. To understand the importance of change, whether in a civic, economic, athletic or artistic context, just think about change as a close companion for success. You can’t live without change, as you must change to live your best life.
My own experience with change led to the shift from computer engineer to entrepreneur. Something wasn’t clicking between sun-up to sundown or wasn’t reflecting from looking in the mirror. I had to then treat change as a friend that would stick close like a sidekick, which surprisingly helped reveal my life’s purpose as a change agent and dream merchant by seeing the:
1. Face of change: It doesn’t always look pretty, but being real makes beautiful dreams come true.
2. Pace of change: Some change is needed in an instant, others over time or a lifetime.
3. Place of change: It can happen right where you are or move you where you want/need to be.
4. Trace of change: When you look back on the trail there’s a trace that reveals your magic power.
In a professional sense, that process started for me with a feeling of unrealized gains. Not that I wasn’t doing well to prosper, it just felt like investing my skillset needed a reset, rework or re-alignment. This is true for folks whether as employee, entrepreneur or executive. That helped with shaping my own rebrand into what’s described as going from average “Joe to CEO” without the good luck charm or inside-track. That simply means, my skillset has been upgraded by thinking like the “CEO of Me Inc”. So, this Substack aligns with that framing where my communication skills went from ‘tech heavy’ to social impact savvy.
There’s a civic aspect to this mindset that made the rebrand more inclusive and universal. With See America In Color (SAIC) as a key part of my portfolio rebrand, there’s a new & improved marketplace benefit. Many know the term B2B for market activity between two or more businesses. Then there’s B2C for market activity between business and consumer. What my rebrand means to corporate social responsibility or civic engagement as a nation, can now be experienced through B2CE, business to civic ends. So, my work is “open for business” to all who believe in change for ‘career + life’ growing seasons.
The election results will signal what kind of change voters want for the future. As you subscribe and ‘Empower with Doc’ beyond the voting booth or hometown block, you’ll know change as a friend for tweaking your skills or a total re-do for better results. Some change happens on a regular basis in daily life or a gradual shift at key moments/seasons in your work life. However, be ready for possible times that might require a shift in mindset or skillset for radical or structural change. This way we can chart a path towards a more popular product/service in the marketplace or a more perfect Union as a nation.
Great perspective, Douette. There's a big difference between changing how things look and changing how things actually work. I've always believed the real transformation happens under the hood. New thinking, better skills, smarter systems. The rebrand? That's just the new paint job on a machine you've already rebuilt. Your four dimensions of change capture that process nicely.