When making changes you can sometimes experience doubt, fear or anxiety in your ability to reach your goals or to set them in motion. Credited to Brian Tracy, this tool provides relief by thinking logically and being proactive by focusing on the solution.

For intent of purpose let’s imagine a situation in your salon that involves the team as a whole. Perhaps the back bar costs have been extremely high causing the salons profits to be diminishing. To date the stylists have not had a product charge and after many attempts to try to control usage you have decided to implement one.

It is the one thing that will put the salon back into a position of being profitable which makes good business sense but you are afraid that implementing the change may backfire on you causing them to leave.

You have been avoiding the conversation due solely to your fear and feel immobilized to make a decision. Use the following 8 steps and you will gain the clarity and focus to get the right message across.

I have found that when I use this particular tool you change the language and look at the problem as a situation, which tends to deflate the fear. Also, when you apply this tool when dealing with people it removes the person and acts on behaviors. Behaviors can be changed where people can’t (unless they plan to on their own). I have used this tool in many areas of my life time and agian I hope you too find it useful.

Think logically when answering the following questions.

             1.     Identify the fear, worry or problem. (Be specific and direct; I am afraid of, I am worried about, the problem is. For example: I am afraid my staff will leave if I change things.)

             2.     Change the language from a fear, worry or problem to a situation and define the situation. (Changes are being made and people are angry.)

             3.     Identify the cause. (Lack of knowledge about the changes.)

             4.     List the possible solutions. (Educate staff, point out the benefits, bring in an expert on the topic, set up a reward system when change is implemented.)

             5.     Make a decision on what to do.

             6.     Assign responsibility. (Delegate the help needed by setting goals with the people responsible to helping.)

             7.     Set a deadline.

             8.     Stay focused on the actions you are taking when the mind wanders back to the problem, fear or worry!

After completing this exercise on your own you can do it with your team as well.