Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires change. Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the ability to satisfy them. ~ Henry Steele Commager


I'm not sure about you but I've been pounded over the head with the word 'change' so much that I'm afraid to even use it in a sentence. Our elected officials promise to bring change to our government. Our corporations will change the way they do business. Technology will change the way we view the environment. My daughter vows to change her attitude. It goes on and on. This past week I received feedback on my midyear review that almost made me change the way I go about my job. The feedback was very clear, very direct, and certainly created a renewed sense of urgency. What my boss was looking for is exactly what Mr. Commager identified as the source of change. Progress is what my boss was after. Progress is also what our government, corporations, environment, and yes our parents are ultimately hoping to achieve. In order to progress at anything we must first educate ourselves on what we want the end result to be and then be daring and bold enough to act on this new information. Change for sake of change is a complete waste of time and resources. Progress for sake of progress on the other hand implies a step in the right direction and an increased capacity for learning.

My challenge to you this week is to not get caught up in the rhetoric of change. Examine a particular project or process that you a currently involved with and renew your focus on the end result. Whether you are gearing up for students to return to the classroom, or contemplating making an adjustment to your personal circle of influence, keep your eye on where you want to ultimately end up. Try not to get lost in the act of doing things differently for risk of losing sight of why you are recommending something different in the first place. Few leaders survive very long if they are known for 'shaking things up' without a clear vision and explanation to the reason behind it.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals
www.tmulyp.org