Halloween and Spirit of Reinvention

Remember when we used to dress up for Halloween and go trick-or-treating? Whether the costumes were homemade or bought at the store, it was so much fun to pretend to be something else. I love watching my kids dress up and experience the same joy. I think what makes Halloween so much fun is that we get to reinvent ourselves for one night. Want to be an astronaut? Firefighter? Super hero? It’s fun to do and allows us to step outside of our own skin.

Reinvention can be reinvigorating, and I guarantee that most organizations and businesses go through a reinvention at some point throughout their history. Why is it important to think about reinvention as a positive form of change?

• Thinking about an issue using a different perspective
• Finding a new way to solve an old problem
• Rebranding to show a change in mission or programs
• Reaching a new audience or captivating the existing one
• Capitalize on the strengths while also addressing the weaknesses
• Diving deeper into a topic or challenge to gain new insights

From an organizational perspective, how can we reinvent ourselves?

• A new logo, website or branding materials
• Updating (or creating) a strategic or business plan
• Developing a needs assessment on the organization’s existing target audience and/or program participants
• Evaluating the organization’s return on investment
• Outsourcing via a consultant to support the organization’s strategic growth or change
• Hiring a new position to fill an existing gap

Whatever you choose to do, just know that even a small change can make a significant impact. Happy Halloween – children and adults alike can take the spirit of reinvention into different parts of our professional and personal lives.