From: bizjournals.com

Joe, a friend and client, told me how he and his sister convinced their little brother to hold his pencil in his right hand. Decades later, his sibling is still right-handed, yet remains a lefty when it comes to sports and chores.

If learning a new behavior only takes 30 days of practice, why can’t many of us learn after a lifetime of opportunities?

Clearly, having a “big brother” drove us to change when we were younger. Now that we are not so impressionable, how can we learn to shift our approaches when confronted by radical changes?

If you’re like most business owners, you may remember the days before the great recession of 2008 as a time when you understood what it took to lead your business to increased growth and wealth. Now, the world feels like it turned upside down. And the road is less clear.

Learning a new way

The truth is, the changes we’re experiencing now started in the late 20th century and have come to the fore in the last five years. It’s no surprise that relearning how to manage and compete isn’t easy.

Fortunately there’s a new “big brother” right under our noses called the Internet. Simply taking the time to learn from exciting sites and helps a lot. My favorites are TED, Fast Company and Springwise.com. There are countless others but these help me cope, learn and change.

Businesses that have adapted to and adopted the profound changes are the ones that are not only surviving but are outperforming their competitors. These businesses are led by business owners who are able to learn how to write with their other hand.