Blogging Truths Be Told: Know When to Adapt (Part 2)

I think I’ll get right into today’s topic of discussion without any further ado. Last week, I introduced you to the whole “adaptability to change” mindset, when taking on your content creation efforts. I’ll start by referencing last week’s blog post, entitled Blogging Truths Be Told: Know When to Adapt:

“Knowing the where, when, why, and how to adapt to change and then making active moves when those criteria are right is what moves you more efficiently toward your goal post.”

So, let’s get into the “where”, “when”, “why”, and “how” to adapt to change, shall we?

I hope you just answered my question with a “we shall”, because I’m moving right along with some questions for you to answer for the four question words just mentioned. Your answers should help guide you in the right direction for when adapting to change is the right fit for you. Just remember to be flexible to change, but strategic on where, when, why, and how its implementation will be carried out.

Where (or you can look at this as the “What”)

1. What areas of your content creation journey require some attention?
2. Are there pieces to your creative process that you simply avoid?
3. Are the skills you’re lacking in your creative efforts slowing you down in moving closer to your creative goals?
4. Have you noticed what new movements in the creative industry are sparking noticeable attention from audiences? Are you or are you not responding to those changes? If so, why? If not, why?
5. What systems and practices seem to be winding down in appeal and relevance?

When

1. Are there best practices timeframes in which to make changes in your processes? By seasons, events (world, national, regional, local), external and internal factors, stages in the human life cycle, etc.?
2. Should change management be reactionary (reacting to change after being pushed into doing so)?
3. Or, should change management be led (pulling change along for others to grab ahold of)?
4. What is your overall philosophy on when change is necessary or not?
5. Do you prefer to wait to see how change affects others before pursuing it, or do you like to lead the change efforts and have others follow your example? 

Why

1. What external factors (controllable and uncontrollable) are affecting creative processes these days?
2. What internal factors (controllable and uncontrollable) are affecting creative processes these days?
3. What is the underlying purpose of the change(s) you’re implementing (what’s the reason for the change)?
4. Have you researched the possible outcomes from the changes you’re going to make before making them?
5. What outcomes are you hoping will result from the changes you make?

How 

1. What are successful industry leaders doing to implement changes in their creative processes?
2. Do you have the necessary resources (time, money, skills sets, support, etc.) to make changes in your processes?
3. How does change affect your overall person (bodily, mentally, and spiritually)?
4. What perspective/outlook do you hold, when viewing change, and how does it affect what you do with change?
5. Do you plan out your change management or do you “pants it” (handle it spontaneously or instinctively without much planning involved)?

The list above is not (I repeat . . . is not) an exhaustive list of questions to think about. However, it is a list to get you going on determining the right fit for change in managing your creative endeavors. And so, I’ll stop there with the questions and let you work on them and see what you truthfully come up with. 

It’s imperative that you be honest with yourself. I mean I’m trusting that the good old honor system will kick in here and you’ll go through the questions with complete transparency on your part to yourself. Because the more honest you are with the where (what), when, why, and how to change in your creative efforts, then the further along you’ll be in the direction, timing, and strategy you must take in order to meet the goals you’ve set for yourself.

Remember: this whole journey thing (no matter the journey) is all about getting where you need and want to go in the end. The path taken is unique for everyone. But this should be the commonality for all paths taken: strive to make the path as smooth, straight-forward, and accommodating as you possibly can, knowing all along that there will be some eventual bumps in the road. 

And what are we going to do with those bumps? Well, we’re going to be open-minded to changes we may need to implement in order to maneuver through those bumpy patches, while still managing to keep moving forward on our paths. Flexibility to adaptability — that (in a rhyming nutshell) is what we’re going to do.

And what I’m also going to do is, most likely, return with one more installment on this topic. We’ll see. You know me. I’m in the changing mode from time to time. Guess you’ll have to tune in next week to see if I come back at you with more adaptability discussion or decide to test your level of adaptability with a new topic altogether.