There are many reasons a person may choose to make a change in his or her life. If you remember the book, “Who Moved My Cheese,” you know that change is sometimes very important for growth and development. When we stagnate, when we are in a rut, it affects our state of mind and, often, our health. A person who treads water – literally – gets tired after a while; eventually he runs out of energy and starts sinking. So it is in “real life,” as well. Change keeps us vibrant and active, even little changes. Big changes – like getting married, moving, starting a new job – are scary, but they’re an important part of life. Through change, we grow.

This is why change management is growing in popularity these days with the likes of likes of Ashridge business school offering change management consultation and covering it in their MBA course. Change is not just important on a personal level, it’s critical on an organisational level as well. We’ve all heard about company “shake-ups” and, often, the company – and its employees - is better for it. Management gets stale – they, too, fall into some kind of a rut – and in order to keep the company goals on track, change is sometimes necessary. Change is about not becoming complacent; it’s about not doing things by rote or without thought or intent. Routine can be paralysing – change is its antithesis; change is about movement and action. Change is a wake-up call – it’s sometimes jarring and not always welcome at first, but it is a new beginning and it should be viewed with optimism and a positive outlook.