Rapid Pace of Change: Are You Dizzy Yet?

In 2012, I was working with a smart group of Boomer and Gen X middle managers and lower level executives. They shared with me how worn out they were back then from the rapid rate of change occurring in their organizations. More than anything, they expressed that they saw no relief in site. They were constantly responding to changing directives from senior leadership, industry pressures, and an overall feeling of uncertainty about the future. (Keep in mind that they were feeling this way years before the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. I can only imagine what they would say now about how they are feeling!)

If I were talking to them today, I would give them the same advice now that I gave them then. As I told them, managers have to accept the fact that stable business environments are events from the past. Managers and leaders will work in a constant state of flux. This is even more true in our post-pandemic age. Change occurs rapidly and constantly and it will continue to do so. As I ended my work with them, I was glad to see their evolution and acceptance of change and the new world of work realities.

Thinking back on my time with them, I remembered the impact that some numbers that I shared with them had on their evolution. These statistics were fascinating numbers that highlighted the warp speed of change that we continue to experience in this new millennium. Updating these numbers for 2022, shows how right I was about change. Change is constant; it’s swift; and it’s volatile!

Consider the following:

  • Facebook’s monthly users in 2009 totaled 360 million. In 2011, they were 845 million. In 2022, they were 2.92 billion!
  • Global digital music revenue totaled $1 billion in 2005. In 2012, it reached a high of $4.4 billion. In 2021, digital music revenue had fallen to $1.1 billion.
  • In 2007, the number of smartphones sold was $122 million. In 2012, there were $680 million sold. IN 2022, there was over 1.3 billion smartphones sold.

If you feel overwhelmed or even dizzy at times, there’s nothing wrong with you! There is so much coming at all of us so fast today, that change can feel disorienting. Your best strategy for dealing with constant change is to put yourself in a healthy emotional place and become skilled at leading change rather than resisting it.  

Written by Robert Tanner | Copyrighted Material | All Rights Reserved Worldwide

This article is accurate to the best of the author’s knowledge.
Content is for informational or educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional advice in business, management, legal, or human resource matters.

Robert Tanner, MBA

Welcome to my leadership blog. I'm the Founder & Principal Consultant of Business Consulting Solutions LLC, a certified practitioner of psychometric assessments, and a former Adjunct Professor of Management. As a leadership professional, I bring 20+ years of real world experience at all levels of management.

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