Change and evolution rarely come easily or naturally for an entire company. As the founder and CEO of Next Gear Solutions, I have spent years helping thousands of restoration contractors do one primary thing: drive major change in their business. These changes are usually about more than implementing new software or technology; at its heart, they are about changing the internal culture so that the company operates like it never has before. I have witnessed many of these change initiatives; some thrived, others died. I’ve watched company leaders shoot themselves in the foot by wavering when change got tough. A single differentiator stands out to me, the thing that made all the difference between success and failure: absolute commitment.
The level of commitment I’m talking about has been well represented throughout history. Consider Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés: When he arrived to present-day Mexico in the early 1500s on an expedition to find treasure, he famously ordered the ships of his fleet to be burned. The message was clear: there would be no going back until riches were found. Rather than demoralizing his men, his actions had the opposite effect, inspiring the members of his expedition to succeed in the face of all difficulties.