Implement Change and Boil That Frog!

How hard is it for you to make a change?    Well, let me tell you a story about just that.  In 2001 while attending a Chick-fil-A seminar, I remember S. Truett Cathy telling us something that would take Chick-fil-A to a higher level.  Truett had recently visited the Ritz Carlton Hotel.  He said that while he was there, he heard them say….wait for it…….MY PLEASURE.   Truett said, what if we were to say “My Pleasure” at Chick-fil-a.  I thought it was a fantastic idea.  I came back to the restaurant with all the spunk and excitement of someone with a brand new idea still; it was really tough to make this happen.  I thought if I just told my team this is what we were doing, I could achieve it.  Set it in motion, I was wrong.  Then I recalled how to boil a frog.

If you want to boil a frog, and you boil water and throw it in the pot, it will launch itself out of the pot using its spring like legs. If you put it in the pot in luke warm water and slowly increase the temperature, it will just sit there, allowing you to boil your frog.

If you’re going to implement change focus on two major points:

1. Establish what you want to happen and share it with key personnel.  Allow them to train others on what your expectations are, while monitoring progress with personnel.

2. Set a goal for “the change” in mind, but know this, it will take longer than you expect, it will probably cost more than you want to, and be harder than you think.    I recently saw a video from Truett that showed how he had told operators this and for every seminar after that for 12 times.  You would think that when the owner of a business says to make this happen you would, but change is hard, even for a company like Chick-fil-A. 

If you are looking for change in your life, try these things.

• Set small achievable goals on what you want to do.  (This needs to achievable)
• Make it happen, and add a little more to it.
• Make that happen and add a little more to that.

This is applicable in all areas of your life.  Weight loss, finances, time with your spouse, etc.

If you think that you are going to change everything in one fell swoop, you’re sadly mistaken.  All you will find is frustration.   If you need to make a change, how can you boil your frog?