We’ve all heard of the complaint by older generations that things were different back in their days. Not to sound axiomatic, but things change and so should people. The ones who complain incessantly are generally those who didn’t adapt.
However, at what stage should you adapt? Technology is constantly evolving. Social media changes as often as I want cookies.
In the end, everybody hates change. For example, every time Facebook makes an update, there’s a new online petition protesting it. If it ain’t broke, do you fix it? But if you don’t change, will you be left behind?
Forcing Change
Before change, you must determine the reason why you’re changing. It must answer your goals, strategies and tactics. You don’t just do it because everybody else is doing it. That’s a disastrous idea.
Take the following logos as examples. The first is by University of California (UC) that changed this month, December 2012.
UC changed their logo because they wanted to appeal to a younger crowd. However, it took away the prestige of a renowned university system. As a graduate of UCLA, I was a proud Bruin. With this new logo, I’m not so proud anymore.
Through social media resistance, Gap and Tropicana also pulled their new changes off the shelf.
Should they have experimented with focus groups? Maybe.
Resisting Change
Is change better than no change? We’ve all heard of these corporate blunders through blind complacency.
Kodak skipped the digital age, so Fuji, Canon, Nikon, Sony … took over.
Blockbuster continued late fee penalties and dismissed online streaming, so Netflix capitalized that market.
Borders outsourced to Amazon.com, so Amazon now holds the golden key to online retail and book purchases.
IBM only concerned itself with big mainframe computers and ignored the small desktop publishers; now Apple is the most valuable company in the world.
Xerox never thought small copiers were useful, so a Canon copier now sits in my office today.
Myspace, Friendster and other social media platforms didn’t … well, you know their stories. The list goes on and on.
Challenge Yourself
In the end, disrupt the status quo and innovate in a niche where your strengths excel. Forecast the future and journey an uncharted course. Of course, make sure it makes follows your goals and strategies.
It’s hard to make a change … disruptive change is the only way to avoid [a plateau] …
Customers don’t buy products; they hire them to fill a need … The idea is to play in a market where nobody else is playing … And meet the need so well that you’re in great demand.
– Harvard Business Review Disrupt Yourself
As a recap on “need,” take Netflix for example. Blockbuster required people to drive to their stores and charged late fees when rentals were past due. Netflix mailed the movie to you and never charged a late fee. Furthermore, Blockbuster failed to catch on with technological clouds. Netflix harnessed the power of streaming and integrated it with every flatscreen TV, Blu-Ray box and mobile device. Ubiquitous.
All in all, change does not come easily. And the need to change is not obvious until it’s too late. But don’t change so much that you become foreign. People revel in the comforts of familiarity.
In order to be able to recognize the need to change, you must always educate yourself. Start with subscribing to this blog!
Have you been disruptive recently? Comment below.
Enjoy being disruptive,
Lawrence Chan
P.S. Some kind tweets from Melissa and PPSDC for my seo and social media marketing ebooks –
P.P.S. Saw this hilarious photo by Jamilia Jean! I missed my calling. I should have become a children’s photographer. Happy holidays!
I’ve been disrupting up the wazoo. If it fails, I won’t say anything haha. If it works out, I’ll let you all know next year. Cheers to a wonderful holiday!
Didn’t Kodak invented digital camera technology? Their mistake was making the decision to try and not compete with / cannibalize their own film business. They were in a Faustian bargain having to make a decision no one would want to in the same position. Every one seems pretty hard on Kodak these days.
Another point: A large – and overlooked – reason that Apple is now the largest computer company in the world was that they had absolutely NO competition from Microsoft for ten years. The law suit they won against them had a ten year “non-compete” clause. So there was very little in the way during that time, and this is why Microsoft is making up for lost time now that the ten years have passed. (Not that I am a fan of them or PC’s, but important to know the context)
Don’t blame you about the university logo, it does look rather silly! Good information and great read as usual, thank you!
I would say if something works and continues to work then only subtle changes should be made to maybe improve things, nobody really likes change (except with mobile phones). Some things never change and continue to be a best seller like coke (as in the drink) , yet other make subtle changes each year and continue to sell their brand as much as previous years like ford (cars). If something isnt working then should we continue to change it? Or should we persevere? There are companies who have believed in themselves from day 1 and continued without change for a long time in the hope that they will be successful, some have some havent. I think alot to do with it is advertising, two huge advertisers are coke and apple, look at how successful they are, sometimes even if the competition has a better product!
I find that not just change, but being different is part of the equation. I’m constantly aiming to have my clients try new things that other photographers aren’t doing… but as you said, they resist that change. It’s scary not knowing what might happen, but without these bold changes into uncharted territory there can’t be any substantial growth. Great article… loved the examples!
What a sticky situation, huh? It’s a delicate balance. Can’t be too foreign — because people like familiarity — but you must be competitively different. Dilemma, dilemma.
@ Dane – Start with the “Why”. When they understand the “Why” their hesitation will turn to excitement.
@ Lawrence – Good read as always!
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