Recently, 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 are from the rapid rate of change occurring in their organizations.   More than anything, they expressed that they saw no relief in site. They are constantly responding to changing directives from senior leadership, industry pressures, and an overall feeling of uncertainty about the future.

As I worked with them, I got them to accept the fact that the business stability that some of them knew from prior decades had passed. Managers and leaders now must work in a constant state of flux. 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 our new work reality.  They are a smart, adaptable group so I know they will do well.

As I thought back on my time with them, I remembered the impact that some numbers that I shared with them had on their evolution.  These statistics are fascinating numbers that highlight the warp speed of change that we have experienced in the last several years:

• Mobile sales on E-Bay in 2009 were $600 million. In 2011, they were $5 billion.
• Facebook users in 2006 totaled 10 million.  In 2011, they were 800 million.
• Digital music download sales totaled $500 million in 2005. In 2011, they were $2.2 billion.
• The number of mobile applications available in 2008 were 8,000. Today, over 1 million are available.
• It took 18 months to sell the first million Palm Pilots.  It took 24 hours to sell the first million I-Phone 4 S’s.

(Source: Fast Company, This Is Generation Flux: Meet The Pioneers Of The New (And Chaotic) Frontier Of Business.) 

If you feel overwhelmed at times like this group that I worked with, there’s nothing wrong with you. Are you dizzy yet?  Sit down and get your bearings and then rejoin the race.  As Monk the Defective Detective would say, It’s a Jungle Out There! 🙂