“Bearing in mind I’ve been harping on about it for some time now, you may have noticed there have been a few changes taking place at casa CPM, all of which have culminated in our new-look style.
“I’m careful choosing my words here for a reason, and that’s because CPM’s heart and soul remain the same, we’ve just undertaken a rather long overdue facelift. Equally, I hope you’ll agree that we’ve not slipped into the dangerous territory of style over substance, or dare I say it, fur coat and no undies!
“At times I’ve felt the gravity of this exercise. Niggly voices in my head have whispered: ‘but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. What gives me the authority to instigate such a change when it’s stood the test of time just fine and dandy? Okay, I’m hardly revolutionising agronomy here, but CPM is part of
the farmhouse furniture.
“And from an even more personal level, I find change rather uncomfortable. I thrive on stability, structure and routine; I prefer to know where I stand. Equally, being inherently introverted, I’m the most unlikely leader of anything.
“However, and rather importantly, I’ve been able to ignore the draw of my deeply embedded personality traits because doing a good job is far more important to me. In this case that means ensuring a forward trajectory, because in ways, standing still is in fact travelling backwards.
“So it was a year ago when fresh in the hot seat and tinged with green, I naively asked for an updated logo and cover design. Yet quite unexpectedly, the kind folk at our parent company commissioned a full mag makeover. So here we are, all shiny and new.
“If we take a step back on this one, dealing with change is tough, isn’t it? I think the first word which springs to mind when thinking about change, is panic. I can only assume it’s because I take great comfort in a controlled, steadiness of life.
“Naturally, change instigated by others which is out of my control is the worst kind to adjust to. An example being, earlier in my career I’d just about found my stride in a role when it was announced the company had been sold and an acquisition would occur.
“My former colleagues and I all handled this very differently. For me, I instantly began to grieve my former contentment and of course, went into full force panic mode, second-guessing the outcome and pounding job websites. Others carried on blithely whereas some were quick to see
the positives, much to my annoyance at the time.
“I’ve since better understood that it’s inevitable things will change and actually, as with many activities in life, it seems the more you have do it, the better you become at handling it.
“A pivotal shift in how I deal with change has been focusing on the knowledge that despite my protests, I always come out at the other side, albeit a little battered! I’m good at finding solutions to problems, so why wouldn’t I be able to apply that skill during change?
“You could say, trust the process – an over-used groaner, but an appropriate phrase. Then, I think it’s focusing on the elements of life which are consistent, taking a more day-to-day approach. It’s easy to let change dominate your entire being, but it absolutely doesn’t have to.
“Of course, I’m not saying blindly ignore what’s occurring around you, more the important role of pragmatism.
“The bottom line is, more often than not, there’s little we can do to stop things shifting in our lives. If we take a ‘being present’ mentality, if nothing can be done to improve the situation right here and now, is there any point in worrying about it? You know I relish a quote, well here’s one: “Don’t waste today worrying about tomorrow.”
“Granted, I’m throwing a stone in a glass house here, because I spend far too many of my precious minutes on this Earth werriting myself half to death. However, I’m fully aware this isn’t the most productive approach to living and do my best to take stock.
“In some ways, refreshing CPM is a brave move but in others, it’s an absolute no- brainer. Why wouldn’t I want the magazine to be easily navigable and engaging, with improved clarity? For it to walk the walk, talk the talk and now, dress to impress?
“We owe it to you and those who contribute to CPM, to do our utmost to ensure the magazine has a future. I feel as though I’ve been handed the keys to a Ferrari, luckily I’m not too shabby at driving.”
This article was taken from the latest issue of CPM.
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