Fort Collins Coloradoan from Fort Collins, Colorado • Page 28

E4, BUSINESS, The Coloradoan, Monday, November 24, 2003, www.coloradoan.com Processing change takes many steps i tl. To some extent, we all fear change. Yet, we all want to change our habits, our products or services, our productivity levels, our income. client even if we like the added cash flow. But more often, change is a process rather than an immediate outcome a journey rather than a destination.

Many managers and teachers say it takes at least a year for a change to fully take hold for a new behavior to become a habit. So if you expect total change to occur immediately, you're bound to be frustrated. Instead, you can improve your chance of actually making the changes you want by thinking of progress as moving yourself or those you want to alter from one stage of the following process of change to the next: 1. Precontemplation: You're not yet thinking of making a change. 2.

Contemplation: You first begin to think about your goals. But while the goals may be desirable, they also still seem unachievable. You may be overwhelmed by how hard it seems, challenges that can be dealt with. 4. Plan: You think through the steps necessary to achieve your goals and decide on an action plan.

By thinking through a plan, you're able to convert your somewhat hazy desires into specific objectives, connected to specific, realistic actions you can take. 5. Commitment: You make a definite commitment to your goals and a clear decision to act on your plan. It's helpful to begin to visualize yourself actually making these changes and achieving your desired results. 6.

Trial: You begin to make behavioral changes. You may start by immediately plunging in completely, or you may be tentative, but the behavior is inconsistent, and you can easily fall back into old patterns after your initial burst of enthusiasm Now comes the really critical part. 7. Recommitment: You remind yourself of your goals, your plan and your belief that Rhonda Abrams Small business and you're likely to believe you aren't capable of overcoming the obstacles. 3.

Reframing: In this stage, you redefine the possibility of change. First, it's important to understand the link between behavior and attitude. You can't make a change if you don't believe you can succeed. In this stage, you start saying to yourself, "This is going to happen. I can make this work.

I can succeed." Then you begin to re-frame what you've seen as permanent obstacles into temporary Oasi place to work: Name of company: Thatumwii, iiiiiirnnifij (j (j Top manager: Address: Phone number: Web site: I once saw a handwritten note over a jar for tips: "If you fear change, leave it here." To some extent, we all fear change. Yet, we all want to change our habits, our products or services, our productivity levels, our income. And we certainly know others we want to change our employees, partners, spouses, children. But sometimes, no matter how much we want to change, no matter how hard we try, we just can't seem to make the transformation. One problem is that we want change to happen overnight.

Just as we ourselves go on extreme diets or quit smoking cold turkey, we expect our employees to miraculously leave old behaviors behind and morph into model workers. Certainly, sometimes the only way to really change is to do it drastically: quit producing an unprofitable product even if some customers still want it, fire an impossible-to-please Completed ballots may be mailed to: Til A rlt mt riMM I IIC UUIUiaUUall 1212 Riverside Fort Collins, 80524 Deadline for submissions is For more information call: Bob Mook, business editor, Name of company: Top manager: Address: Phone number: Web site: Describe the business: Year established: 1 in Business leader of the year: Name: FORT COLLINS )L0RADON Bringing Fort Collins Home w-iwm Dec 1 224-7735 What describes the company's dress code? Casual Semi-casual Business professional Does the company provide leave without pay or sabbaticals? Leaves Sabbaticals Does the company provide in-house training? Yes No How does the company recognize outstanding employees? Title: Company: you are capable of success. The scariest part of change is when you're in the middle. You've come part of the way, but you haven't left the old ways behind entirely. I learned one of my favorite mottoes during a ski lesson, when I was frightened by the prospect of momentarily facing straight downhill while turning.

The instructor told me the key: "Commit yourself to the turn." 8. Habit: You consistently change your behavior. Perhaps you have an occasional lapse, but your habitual practices are the ones you want. Success! Remember, we make changes in fits and starts; we have to try over and over before a change becomes a habit. If you see yourself as being in a process of transformation, you're more likely to feel and be successful than if you see change as black and white.

Can you move yourself along that process of change? Can you be encouraging and patient with others as offer employee assistance fitness programs, information: number: the person's management style: Does the company programs? Yes No the person's commitment to the community: What is the company's salary range? you move them along this process? Change doesn't happen overnight, and you may not achieve all the goals you set. But, remember, things won't change if you don't change. Rhonda Abrams is the author of "The Successful Business Han: Secrets Strategies" and is the president of The Planning Shop, publishers of books and tools for business planning. Go to www.PlanningShop.com to register for her free business-planning newsletter. Cast your votes for Northern Colorado's top firms By Coloradoan staff The Coloradoan is looking for a few great companies.

If you believe your company treats its employees well while demonstrating leadership, innovation and commitment to the community, we want to hear from you. And if your company stands above the rest, again, we want to know about it. In February, the Coloradoan will publish its second Best in the Business section, honoring outstanding employers and business leaders in Larimer County and Windsor. Best in the Business will be devoted to businesses that exemplify the best of the best in Northern Colorado. "We established the contest because we strongly feel there's a lot of good work being done particularly in the business sector," said Dorothy Bland, publisher of the Coloradoan.

"We wanted to celebrate their accomplishments." The publication also will examine the economic climate in Northern Colorado and offer an outlook from regional experts. Categories in the awards are: Best Place to Work, Best Corporate Citizen, Best Small Business and Business Leader of the Year. An independent panel of community business leaders will select the best corporate citizens in health care; manufacturing and technology; housing, construction and development; banking and finance; retail and service; and tourism and recreation. Judges also will choose a single company as best place to work and honor the best small business and business leader of the year. But the nomination process is up to readers, who can use the ballot on the left to make picks.

Nominations can be mailed to the Coloradoan at 1212 Riverside Fort Collins, CO 80524. Ballots also will be provided in the monthly newsletter of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, which will be released late this month. Applications can be filed online at www.coloradoan. com. The deadline for submissions is noon, Dec.

1. Winners will be honored at an awards luncheon in early February. Last year's winners included Poudre Valley Health Systems, Miner and Miner, Celestica Colorado, First National Bank and Neenan Co. For more information, contact business editor Bob Mook via e-mail at BobMookcoloradoan.com or call 224-7735. What is the company's median salary? does the person maintain a work-life balance: What are some company activities: Phone How jy Name Top Describe Describe What iea(jer: characteristics make this person an outstanding Pac4ka9e (insurance, vacation time, pension): corporate citizen: Describe the company's internal communications: Wellness (on-site, Number of employees: Explain the company's growth strategy: of company: executive: number: site: Address: Describe the company's policies on family time and flex time: Describe any special incentives the company offers its employees: Describe the company's efforts to diversify its workforce and recruit nontraditional workers (senior citizens, people with disabilities, people on welfare, explain: does the company exemplifycitizen? Phone Web involvement in the from other Briefly How How What participate does the company approach community involvement? In what projects is it involved? Describe what the company has done to make you feel physically safe at work: Describe the company's community: What separates this company incentives does the company provide to in community activities? Nominator's Name: Employer: Title: Phone number: Address: Industry (health care, manufacturing and technology, housingconstructiondevelopment, banking and finance, retail and service, or tourism and recreation):.