Change has sent a friend request to all of us…do we ACCEPT or IGNORE?

ANDREA TARRELL
HNI Marketing Director

We currently live in the age of uncertainty and complexity.  “Change” is literally everywhere. 
Whether we like it or not, Change has sent a friend request to all of us.  Right now is the time to accept or ignore.

Business leaders today are faced with an amazing amount of stress and fear of the unknown.  We’re seeing new and emerging risks coming at us faster than we can identify or even begin to implement internal controls to manage.  These risks are in the forms of politics, healthcare, new regulations, environmental issues, the economy, the cyber world, technology - the list
goes on and on.

Along with managing all of these new risks, more than ever businesses have the need to strengthen their leadership, distinguish their brand, hire and retain good people, and build an intoxicating culture which shares the beliefs and values of their organization.  Ultimately, all of these new pressures are forcing businesses to change.

When we think of the word change, the word INSANITY often comes to mind.  Albert Einstein once said that “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”. 

All too often we see businesses that are faced with real issues stifling growth and financial stability but they just won’t change.  They continue to go along doing the same things over and over again.  When a major business problem or disruption occurs, then all of their time and resources are spent taking a reactive approach to a situation that could have been prevented or properly mitigated from the beginning.

Do you want to change BEFORE you have to or BECAUSE you have to?

We truly believe that our society is looking for business leaders that will step up and embrace change.  Leaders that won’t accept being boring and who are done taking the easy way out.  We’ve all heard the quote “Change is the only constant”.  If this is true, should we continue to run our businesses focused on how the world is today or how it will be tomorrow?

By now you’re probably asking yourself…  “I thought this guy worked in insurance and benefits.  What does this have to do with it”? 

Glad you asked… 

Business leaders today are seeking more [and deserve more] from all of us business advisors.  Behind us are the days of salespeople that show-up and throw-up, salespeople that know everything about their product or service, but nothing about the problems impacting your business.

Our marketplace is flooded with so called “Risk Managers” who engage in strategic conversations with their clients but when it comes down to it, come back with the same solution: “We have an insurance policy for that.”  Insurance is the easy conversation to have.

Insurance policies don’t help a business leader tackle their wicked business problems or help them proactively plan and combat emerging risks.  They don’t solve problems with your leadership, brand, people, and culture. 

We’ve never seen a business with a great leadership team, a brand that stood out in the marketplace, great people, and a thriving culture that was paying higher insurance and benefits costs than the rest of the marketplace.  The wicked problems that are holistically preventing your business from growing are the exact problems that will increase your exposure to risk and your costs of managing it.

At HNI, we challenge business leaders to think differently and to step-up and Change the Game.  “Change” has sent a friend request, and your email has sounded the alert.  Please accept…your business can’t afford to ignore it.