Loathe and Loath to Change
As the great Peter Drucker reminded us, "The only thing we know about the future is that it will be different." Adapting to what is different, to what has changed, is an inherent part of life.
A friend recently wrote to me about a schedule conflict he was dealing with. He used a word that I don’t hear used much these days. He wrote, “Given the multiple date changes for conflicts, I'm loathe to press him again on switching it.”
That got me to thinking about two things – the word “loathe”, and how much I really don’t like having to make changes.
When you do a little digging on the word loathe you quickly learn that there is the word “loathe” and also the word “loath” and that the -e- on the end makes a difference. Loath (rhymes with both) is an adjective and it means that you are extremely reluctant to do something. My friend should have used loath in the sentence above rather than loathe. Loathe (rhymes with clothe) is a verb and it means that you really hate something.
So, am I loath to change or do I loathe change? Given my overall feeling about change, essentially either word works for me.
As the great Peter Drucker reminded us, "The only thing we know about the future is that it will be different." Adapting to what is different, to what has changed, is an inherent part of life. Every entrepreneur is well-served to become adept at responding to contextual changes and skilled in the discipline of change management.
Putting my personal loathing of change aside, and the fact that I personally am loath to change, there’s something almost mystical and invigorating about facing into, and embracing the reality of change. At the Agathe Center for Entrepreneurship, we take seriously the role we play in assisting entrepreneurs who, by their very definition, are facing change and making change. And, as you’ll read in this newsletter, we get plenty of practice in our own organization.
Yes, the future will be different. One can loathe it, one can be loath to go there, but it is coming. Best to embrace change, to become adept at responding to it, and skilled at managing it. I may not make it from loathing change to loving change yet given all the practice I am getting maybe I’ll change.
Ralph
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