First in a Series of Quotient Quizes:
You have an IQ – Intelligence Quotient – for which you’ve been tested. What is your CQ – Change Quotient? How do you test in your CQ?
Regardless of who you pull for, you have to recognize that Alabama football has been at the top of the ladder for the past few years. They have won four National Championships out of the last eight years. Some people are referring to it as a dynasty. But it didn’t happen accidentally.
There were two high-profile college coaches at the beginning of the 2016 season. One was Les Miles at LSU, and the other was Nick Saban at Alabama. They both had National Championship titles and incredible records in the past. At the end of the 2016 season, only one of them was still coaching his team.
Les Miles was fired. How did this happen? Most experts say he refused to change and adapt to the way football is played in 2016. He repeatedly was told that there had to be some innovative things in offense, but changes did not occur. Some people even described him as “stubborn.” His outdated style of football cost him his job.
On the other hand, Nick Saban was always “in the process” of changing. About four or five years ago he began adapting to the way football was being played, and his “process” was not something cast in stone, but something that was flexible to relate to the best way to play football. A few years ago he was one of the biggest critics of the no-huddle, hurry-up offense. He soon saw that the no-huddle, hurry-up offense had a lot to offer. Today, his process has changed to incorporate often the no-huddle offense, and in most games Alabama runs more plays than the opposition! That’s a change.
Recently Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt was asked, “If somebody told you six years ago Nick Saban would be going no-huddle and tempo, would you have believed it?” Pruitt said, “Ah, no, probably not.”
OJ Howard, the most valuable player in 2016’s National Championship game, said in a recent interview that he was amazed at the transformation of the Alabama offense from the power run and attack his freshman year to an offense that features the improvising talents of freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts. Howard said, “It’s crazy to see how much we have changed since my freshman year. If you were to pitch to me during my recruitment that we would be running this type of offense, I wouldn’t have believed it. It just shows the process of Coach Nick Saban and his willingness to change is what keeps him successful.” He changed his CQ.
Whether it’s football, business, church, or life – if you don’t know how to navigate change, you won’t be successful or keep your job very long. The challenge of change is to change rather than challenge the change. (Tweet this) It’s always easy to challenge it, but the real challenge is how can we use it best! Improve your CQ!
The wise man Solomon said, “The intelligent man is always open to new ideas. In fact he looks for them” (Prov. 18:15). Someone said “if you’re not standing on top of the wave of change, you will find yourself under it.”
Start the year by analyzing what things you need to change – and change them. Remember there are some things that never change, such as the message of hope from Jesus. Paul said, “Let me remind you brothers, for it has not changed – it is the same good news I preached to you before. You welcomed it then and still do now, for your faith is squarely built upon this wonderful message” (I Cor. 15:1). God’s message of hope and redemption never changes.
What is your CQ?
