PPB July 2020

H ave you ever had a discussion with your colleague, spouse or 14-year-old son with respect to, say, operating the new alarm system—only for them to set it off moments later? You shake your head and ask yourself, “How did that happen? I thought I was so clear! Was the explanation too technical? What did I miss?” Likely, your tutorial was brilliant; they simply weren’t listening—lights on but nobody’s home—and not feeling heard is at an all-time high. Now, most people listen with some degree of flow in terms of focused attention; they listen, then zone out, listen, then zone out—and unfortunately the resulting errors, misunderstandings and even lost revenue are signals of a bad connection. Remember in the olden days (January), when you ran into someone you hadn’t seen for a while—maybe on the street, at the mall or at an industry event—and they asked, “Hey, what’s new?” to which you likely answered, “Not much! How about you?” and that was true? We’re creatures of habit and are wired for routine. In fact, by the time we’re about 10 years old, 96 percent of everything we think, feel and do is automatic. It’s no wonder that in our every-day lives not much Shift Happens Expectations are shifting. The ways we communicate and operate are shifting. And there’s never been a better time to reinvent your business. by Jae M. Rang, MAS “In times of change, learners inherit the earth while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” – Eric Hoffer Lightspring / Shutterstock.com 64 | JULY 2020 | THINK