5 Key Strategies For Managing Change- REBOOT 166

**🎙️ Podcast Show Notes:

Change doesn’t knock politely… it kicks the door in like a fire alarm at 2AM!

One minute everything in your shop feels dialed in, the next you’re dealing with disruption, stress, and a hundred “what now?” questions. In this episode of the Mind Wrench Podcast, we dig into the truth most shop owners wrestle with… it’s not just the change that’s the problem, it’s the story you tell yourself about it.

Using recent real-life moments and lessons from the chaos of COVID pandemic, this episode breaks down a powerful mindset shift: change isn’t good or bad, it just is. What matters is how you respond. For collision industry leaders, that response can mean the difference between falling behind or finding new opportunities.

You’ll walk away with practical, no-fluff strategies you can actually use in your business and personal life. From handling sudden DRP changes to staffing challenges or market shifts, this conversation is about staying steady when everything else feels shaky.

Key Takeaways:

• Your first reaction isn’t the problem… it’s the meaning you attach to it that drives your outcome 
• Change is constant and nonselective, but your response is always within your control 
• Growth mindset and adaptability aren’t buzzwords, they’re survival skills in today’s collision industry 
• Some of your biggest setbacks today can become your biggest advantages tomorrow if you stay open to the lesson 

If you’ve ever felt blindsided by change in your shop or life, this episode will help you reset your thinking, take control of your response, and turn uncertainty into forward momentum.

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Transcript

Change Is The Only Constant

Rick 0:00

If there was ever one constant in life, one thing we can always rely on, something that will occur regardless of what we do, as sure as spring turns into summer and summer fades into fall, is change. Change is constant. Change is unpredictable. Change spares no one in its path, nor does it target any one individual, business, or entity. Change has no friends or enemies, has no feelings or emotions, victories or defeats. It is 100% non selective and all inclusive. Thanks so much for stopping in. If you're a returning listener and haven't done so already, please take a minute and click the follower or subscribe button and then rate and review the show. When you rate and review the show, the algorithms for Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, and all the other platforms will see that it's valuable and show it to more people that have never seen it before, and hopefully it can help them too. I would really, really, really appreciate your help sharing this word with your friends and family as well. And if you're a brand new listener, welcome. I hope you find something of value here that helps you in your personal or professional life as well. Please make sure to click the subscribe or follow button so you never miss another episode. If you've been listening to the show for a while, or been on the receiving end of my daily quote of the day emails, or maybe just catch my posts on Facebook or LinkedIn, you know I'm all about the quotes, right? If you'd like to start receiving my quote of the day emails, there's a link in the show notes to sign up. It's free and you can unsubscribe at any time. After being suddenly jolted out of bed in the middle of the night last night by both the fire and CO alarms blaring loudly, freaking out my wife, my seven months pregnant daughter, and my dog, it made me think. Seems lately I've been facing a whole lot of changes, unexpected challenges, and sudden upsets in my daily life. Like I'm sure most of you have faced as well. Just maybe not the frequency I've experienced. Fortunately, it was a false alarm last night, although I did change all the smoke detector batteries last fall, you know, as recommended, and our furnace was replaced probably less than six months ago. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll need to replace all the detectors in my house before anybody can rest. But as I was contemplating life's uncomfortable changes I've dealt with lately, you know, like my stem cell injections gone wrong, our youngest daughter facing her first child's pending birth alone very soon. She will be staying with us for some time for support. My wife's recent health concern, challenging travel situations the last couple of months, and the constant onslaught of Social Security reminders and pressure to make decisions before I turn sixty five later this year. It's enough to question whether someone painted a bullseye on my back and I'm the only one that can't see it. You know what I mean? But as I firmly believe that life happens for us instead of to us every time. As I was thinking through all of this, I remembered that I recorded a podcast on this very subject a few years ago, and after listening to it again, I felt the need to reshare this as I believe many of you probably need to hear this message, quite possibly for the first time. If there was ever one constant in life, one thing we can always rely on, something that'll occur regardless of what we do, as sure as spring turns into summer and summer fades into fall, is change. Change is constant. Change is unpredictable. Change spares no one in its path, nor does it target any one individual, business, or entity. Change has no friends or enemies, has no feelings or emotions, victories or defeats. It is one hundred percent non selective and all inclusive. We all experience change at different times in our lives, and although some more than others, or may seem to us, but maybe is that even really true? Change happens all around us, in our personal lives, our health, our relationships, our families, our businesses. Sometimes we hope and pray for change, and we're so grateful, happy, or relieved when it comes, but most times it comes unexpectedly, when we don't want things to change, when everything seems to be okay, right? It can be as small and subtle as a new pain we feel when walking up a flight of stairs or a small lump we notice on our body. Some new reduced hours or regulations at work, or a couple days of cold rainy weather when the news predicted sunshine. Or it can be as devastating as being diagnosed with cancer, losing a good job to feed your family, losing a loved one, or a major weather event that wipes out your home and all your personal belongings. Now here's the part most people struggle with, and depending on what's going on with you in your life, it may be hard to hear, but change is neither good nor bad. That's right, change is neither good nor bad. It's just part of everyday life. Things just change. That's it. It's always been like that way since the dawn of time, and it'll continue to be that way long after we're gone. The only thing that makes change good or bad for us personally is our perspective, our mindsets, and what the change means to us as individuals. For example, let's take a look back a few years to the onset of COVID nineteen. That's one event we'll never forget, right? On the surface, it was bad change on so many levels. The world went into lockdown, businesses closed, many of them forever. People were dying by the thousands on a daily basis. Almost everyone was negatively affected, stuck in their homes, unable to attend any public places or events, including funerals for their loved ones, just massive mental upset and historic levels of depression. Not one damn good thing about that change, right? Oh wait. Are we sure about that? Although it was initially quite ugly for the restaurant business during initial lockdowns, but those that adapted quickly opened up some drive-thru lanes, touchless pickup options. All of a sudden they realized higher profit margins using less staff and shorter hours, right? That was actually good change for them over time. And what about all the safety equipment suppliers that were selling literally tons of gloves, respirators, masks, and sanitizing products at highly increased prices, by the way. That change wasn't bad for them, was it? And speaking of medical supplies, what about the drug companies that developed and sold vaccines to the tune of tens of billions of dollars? I would say they considered that change very beneficial for them, huh? Then there were the millions of furlough or displaced workers that took the opportunity of being stuck at home with lots of time on their hands to find a way to do something that was more fulfilling than sit in a cube farm working for somebody else. And they went out and created their own online businesses. This was absolutely life-altering change for them. Very good change indeed. See how I'm going with this? I know for many of you it's a hard pill to swallow. I get it. Most of us did not reap a benefit from those years. For the most part, I didn't either. In fact, as an essential supplier, I had to work my ass off, doing the work of five people for months on end at a reduced level of pay to boot. But being the positive thinker I am, when I look back at that time period, that's when I did spend my time in the evenings and weekends working on myself. And that's when I created this podcast, which has been an extremely good change for me personally. It's all in the perspective, my friends. It's all in the perspective. One of my favorite quotes from Tony Robbins Life happens for us and not to us. In this week's episode, we dive deep into the topic of managing change in our lives, our friends, and our businesses. Change is inevitable, and how we approach it can greatly impact the outcomes we experience. Each of us has the unique ability to halt the gut reaction to any change, pause for a moment, and really look at it from a few different angles before deciding if any benefits can be had. By harnessing the power of perspective and positive thinking, we can navigate through the change more effectively and create better outcomes for ourselves and those around us. So I want to share five key strategies for managing change and highlight how each one can contribute to our overall resilience and success. If you're running a collision shop, whether second generation, third generation, or original owner, grinding every day, putting out fires, chasing KPIs, working in rather than on the business, and wondering why progress still feels slower than it should, let's take a little pause right here. As a longtime industry supplier, performance coach, and host of this podcast, I've worked inside this industry for over four decades, and I've learned a few things the hard way. Tools and tactics absolutely matter, but mindset drives everything. How you think shapes how you lead, how you hire, how you grow, and how you show up when things get messy. That's where one-on-one coaching makes a difference. You get focused conversations, real accountability, and guidance tailored to you and your shop, not generic cookie cutter advice. The collision repair business has changed dramatically in the last few years. The technology, the tools, the equipment needed to repair today's new vehicles, customer expectations that vary by generation, OEM certifications and repair procedures, ADAS calibrations, electric vehicles, and the ever-growing national technician shortage, it's a lot, isn't it? It can be absolutely overwhelming and very challenging on where to focus first, right? If only I had someone who could help me find clarity in all the chaos. If only there was someone that could help guide me through the changes I need to make so I could create a successful business, increase my net revenue. If only I had a coach that could help me without getting in my way, or trying to run my business for me, or costing me a fortune. This is where I can help. The goal is simple: help you make consistent improvements, build sustainable culture, gain better profitability, and shave years off the learning curve. If you're open to adjusting how you think and how you lead, book a free 15-minute discovery call with me right now. No sales pitch, no blue sky promises, just an honest conversation to see if it's a fit. You have absolutely nothing to lose but everything to gain. Secure a spot now. Adopting a growth mindset allows us to view change as an opportunity for learning and personal development rather than a threat. Sometimes there's lessons we need to learn before we can grow beyond where we are now. By reframing challenges as opportunities for growth, we can approach change with a sense of curiosity and openness, enabling us to adapt more readily to new circumstances. Having a fixed or negative mindset will not allow us this opportunity. But remember, we're not stuck with the mindsets we may currently have. Just like our lives, they can experience change as well. And that is change you have absolute control of. If you want more information on mindsets and how to change them, check out Episode 114. Number two, cultivate resistance. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity and thrive in the face of change. By cultivating resilience through practices such as mindfulness, self-care, and seeking support from others, we can build our capacity to weather life's inevitable ups and downs with grace and strength. I believe living through the pandemic taught many of us resilience. I know personally, with losing both my sisters and having my youngest daughter being basically abducted and missing for five months amidst the worst part of COVID, I had to learn a lot about resiliency. It's one of those little life lessons I really didn't want, but I needed to learn. If you want more information improving your resilience, check out episode 54. Number three, focus on what you can control. In times of change, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by factors beyond our control. However, by focusing on what we can control, such as our attitudes, actions, and responses, we can maintain a sense of agency and empowerment. By directing our energy towards the things that we can influence, we can make meaningful progress towards our goals despite external challenges. Sometimes we lose sight of this fact, and many of us don't even truly realize it, but we do maintain one hundred percent control of our responses to change, and exercising that control is what empowers us to make the best of any situation. Number four, practice adaptability. Adaptability is the ability to adjust and thrive in changing circumstances. By remaining flexible and open minded, we can more easily adapt to new situations and seize opportunities that arise. By embracing change as a natural part of life, we can cultivate a sense of resilience and agility that serves us well in both personal and professional contexts. As we learn this skill and grow our flexibility, we will experience shorter frame times when adapting to change and spend less time in disappointment, bitterness, and resistance to change. five, cultivate a positive mindset. This is probably my most favorite subject. Our mindset shapes our reality, and by cultivating a positive outlook, we can navigate change with more optimism and greater confidence. By focusing on the opportunities and possibilities that change brings, rather than dwelling on the obstacles, setbacks, or the simple fact that we don't like the change, we can harness the power of positive thinking to create better outcomes for ourselves and those around us. You see, our two million year old brains were designed to protect us. They were always searching for what could potentially hurt or kill us, which worked great when dangerous beasts roamed the same territories as we did. It helped back then, but now we don't have those concerns. But our brains are still wired to go to the negative when something changes. Working on cultivating a more positive mindset is really not that difficult and it can serve us in a much more effective way when faced with change. Listen, let's be real about this. Change has been a constant in our lives and will always continue to be. When faced with change, we really only have two choices resist and suffer or accept and adapt. That's it. I've experienced much change in both my personal and professional lives. Most of it unwanted, unexpected, uncomfortable, and very challenging. But looking back from a positive mindset, all the difficult change I've made it through has shaped and strengthened me along the way. Taught me lessons I didn't realize I needed to learn. It made me the person I'm proud to be today. I think that's what it's supposed to happen. I don't know exactly what and when the next change that will drop in on me, but I do know this. I will find a way to make it work for me. As you follow the five key strategies I've explained here today, I'm sure you'll be able to do the same. Remember, life happens for us, not to us. Well, that's all I had for you today. Thanks again for tuning in. I really appreciate your support, and I hope you have a great week. I can always be reached at www.ricksilover.com, where you can find all my social media links, podcast episodes, blog posts, and much more.