The pace of change just continues to accelerate.  From near-interstellar spaceships to self-driving robots, and AI professors at Ivy League schools, innovation and invention are happening at breakneck speeds.

So as business leaders, marketers, salespeople, etc. how do we not only deal with all this change but embrace it to create the future we envision?

Become a change agent

Being a change agent means being the person your organization, your customers, and your partners rely on to help them navigate and tap into the changing world around us. There are lots of ways to do this. A good place to start is with what I think are three core principles of an effective change agent.

Embrace change

This may sound simple, but it’s a lot harder than you think. I remember an HP training class I took back in the day.  We were talking about how to work with people who didn’t have the same point of view as you. They used a physical metaphor that really hit home for me and that I still remember. If you push someone their natural instinct is to push back. But if you walk with someone in the same direction they’re already going, it is much easier to walk alongside them. Once you are walking together, you can then lead them in a different direction. Much like the marital art of Aikido, where you use someone’s strength and power to your advantage.

Don’t try to wrestle all this change to the ground. Walk with it instead. Then use it to take you in whatever direction you want to go. Approach change as an Aikido master and not the Incredible Hulk!  Take time to understand it, why it’s happening, and how it can best serve you and your business.

Lead by example

Think about the challenges your customers and partners are facing.  Take those challenges on with them and be their improv partner, helping them look for new approaches and ways to tap into change to solve problems.

Help them expand their thinking and think “out of the box” by challenging them with “what if” questions.  This can help broaden their view and uncover ideas they may never have considered before.  Also share examples of how new approaches have made tangible impacts.

Monitor shifts

Finally, it’s critical to understand the trends and technologies that are shaping the world around us.  So, you can anticipate what’s coming, and help your organization and customers catch these shifts early so they can take advantage of them instead of being disrupted by them.  You need to be constantly monitoring shifts and weak signals to stay ahead.

I recently gave a talk on some of the trends and disruptive technologies we are helping our customers to better understand and tap into.

I encourage you to become a change agent. Watch for trends, technologies, and shifts. Proactively look for ways they apply to your business as well as your customers’ business.  Tap into internal and external innovation, share best practices, and most importantly make change your new best friend.

Become an expert in change. Understand it and leverage it to help customers. Be their trusted advisor and a thought leader. Because when it comes to dealing with change remember to be an Aikido Master, not the Hulk.