We’ve discussed why you should embrace change before, but not how.
When companies have takeovers or re-organizations, when your job changes or there are new people in them, it sends many people into a panic.
People decide to retire early in the face of work change; others consider finding another job. There are a few that seem excited about the change in a positive way.
But there seems to be a pattern of a lack of change management initiatives to help ease those more resistant people into the change when companies go through a big change. Perhaps there would have been less panic if some initiatives were set forward to help some of the employees with the redesign.
I’ve studied in various courses throughout my education the theory and science of change management, and employing these methods have helped me embrace and become excited about the change.
Ask Questions
Perhaps this is naive, but people who design changes and who implement them are typically high up in an organization and know what they are doing.
They are professionals. They’re all educated, experienced, and the process was analyzed, tested, and reviewed by many members of the organization.
It’s important to trust that people know what htey are doing, but it’s still hard to completely accept something if you have a bunch of questions floating around.
Ask them! The organizers of the change are more likely to be relieved that there is conversation about the change, than angry at the questions. Ask the right people, and you’ll get answers. Maybe the answers will help you understand why the change had to take place, which is the first step to accepting it.
Identify Opportunities
I find that the people who get excited about change are those who could identify opportunities for themselves within the message.
At the end of the day, there should be opportunity for everyone within a change. Even if the only opportunity that you can pull from a change is the ability to adapt to it and learn from it, that’s great. Especially for when you go to further your career.
Confront Your Scepticism
Self awareness is key to accepting change. If you do not know that you’re bristling at the thought of it, how will you be able to fix your attitude?
If you start to panic, think about whether or not you’re resisting the change. Be truthful to yourself.
Find Your Position
Once you’ve accepted the fact that you are resisting the change (you probably are), figure out why. What’s behind your resistance? Be honest with yourself.
Many people are scared that they won’t be able to adapt to the new, additional duties added to our roles. For instance, I knew somebody who was scared to have a new technology added to the organization. She was in her early 60’s. She’s lamented before that she has a hard time learning the new systems that were provided to help with the position, and she refuses to use a couple of them because they didn’t provide us adequate training for those systems.
Underneath everything we do outwardly, there is something underlying. This is our “position”. When dealing with conflict, a person is supposed to be moved off of his or her position. Until we know what our position is, we can’t properly deal with our resistance. Find the driving factor to your resistance.
Once you’ve found it, confront it.
Do you struggle with accepting change? What methods have you used to help yourself or others accept change?
I’m struggling with accepting change right now! The big move to the west coast for law school terrifies me. I know the fear stems from leaving my comfort zone, and I have to remind myself that in 20 years, I don’t want to look back and wonder “what if?”
I also do a lot of running. The more I run, the more physically exhausted I get, which means I cannot lie awake in bed all night thinking about every possible thing that could go wrong.
Honestly I love change. I grew up in such a normal home that I welcome new opportunities.
I believe we will always have two types of people- People who are comfortable doing the same thing day in and day out and others who thrive on challenge and new experiences.
When we sign our employment contract most people never read it, they just sign it.I always encourage people to read through it so you know what your role details and what is expected of you. This is a very important document.
You may find many of the baby boomers close to retirement who have been in their role for years not wanting to try anything new.Not all but some. Then again there are younger folk who have no motivation to gain new skills. The thought pattern is -I’ve already went to school, learned what I needed now I’m applying it. I don’t want to learn anything new.
Personally,I’m always learning new skills and thrive on learning from others. The only way to progress is to show your company you are invested in them just as much as they are by hiring you. No one owes us nothing but a pay cheque at the end of the day. If we get anything more we are lucky, so take it.
Sometimes in organizations directions change and positions are no longer needed. Most organizations will do what’s best for the company first then the people. The yearly budget dictates what goals and objectives will help a company reach their target without going over budget. No one has a secure position in any role but what you can do is secure your knowledge.
Take what training you can get and run with it. One day you may be happy you learned a new computer program or skills that you can take with you on your journey through life. Don’t ever get comfortable, be open for change, embrace it and life will embrace you. Change is imminent in all that we do. Besides there’s always someone waiting in line with a resume if someone don’t want their job!
Great post.
Mr.CBB
Great post!
I actually adapt very well to change now that I’m in my 20s, but as a kid I absolutely hated it. I avoided it whenever possible. I didn’t really have much of a choice back then of whether or not I adapted, though.
Now, I do see opportunities in the changes I don’t like. When another duty someone else is neglecting gets added to my plate at work, I see it as one more thing to list when I’m negotiating my salary for 2013.
Change is so part of life…the more you can roll with it the better off you’ll be. That being said, I have found it difficult sometimes to adapt, but I’m working on it. Good post!
Amazing post S. I definitely have to agree with everything you said. I have been with company through numerous acquisitions (we are the acquiring company) and there have been a LOT of changes in management structures as well as overall difficulties of transitioning into new roles for employees as the acquired companies. There is sadness, bitterness, retaliation by quitting, and lots of anger from confused clients and employees. I felt bad because I saw it all firsthand and had to deal with many of them. But in the end, it’s what you decide to do with the change. The people that stuck it out are probably used to our policies and processes, and will probably get farther than those who quit and/or decided to get angry about it. It’s tough on everyone when there is change, even for the people who initiated it.
GRRRREAT POST AS ALWAYS!
I know I dislike change. I’m better with it than what I was in the past but I’m still working on it. I try to think things through before making snap choices. For instance, in my previous position, I didn’t want to apply for this one I’m loving right now. Why? I made noises about loving my job (truth) and that I was fine with it (not so true). I was actually bored but I had become comfertable with it and didn’t feel like I could handle change. I made myself think about it and applied for this job. Obviously I did the right thing but in the past I would have stayed where I was.
These are some great points! It’s often surprising how older people (and some younger) and extremely resistant to change.
One of the best books I read was “Who Moved My Cheese” and it simply talks about the important and necessity of changing and accepting it.
I think management likes to see the people that step up and embrace their new roles. Even if I was ever nervous about changes (when we switched to electronic medical records, I knew there would be a lot to learn and therefore a lot of changes), I’ve always put on a brave face and acted excited about the change. Poor Jeff would have to hear about it always when I got home from work, but my boss always told me how much she appreciated my upbeat attitude. My attitude wasn’t really that upbeat, so what she meant was “I really HATE your coworker’s constant WHINING. Thanks for not being like that!” 🙂
Good luck in your new position (or newly-renovated same position, I guess)!! You will do great because you have an awesome attitude and a great work ethic as far as I can tell! 🙂
I’m not one for liking change at the workplace. Although I understand that sometimes that’s what is needed so I go a long with it and just do my job the best that I can. I do like learning new things though. Doing the same thing everyday can get boring, a little bit of change helps keep the mind working.
Something that always helps me out when I’m in companies that want to up and change things is this: Like you said, they probably know what they’re doing, so it might allwork out for the better. But if management is dumb and the change is a bad decision, then the company will surely feel the effects of the bad decision to change, and guess what? THey’ll go back to what they were doing before. So there’s really nothing to get upset about! If the change turns out to be good, then it’ll stay and everyone will be happy; if the change turns out to be bad, then the company will revert back or try something else.
I’m weird. I like change. Unless it screws me over. I’d have to assess the situation first, evaluate if there were opportunities (great point, by the way; if there are no added opportunities for individuals, you can only expect them to leave or be unhappy which is not to your benefit if you have good employees,)and then react. Sounds like some people got a little bit screwed over. And others just don’t want to adapt.
You make a great point about asking questions. Keep asking until you are satisfied and understand everything that is happening or going to happen.
Great post! I used to be horrible with change but because I’ve been leaping from one internship to the next, I’ve been forced to adapt to it I guess. I think the most important thing is to approach it positively, or identify opportunities as you said. Everything is what you make it, right?
This reminds me so much of the lesson Who Moved My Cheese? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Moved_My_Cheese%3F
I’m going to blog about this soon. 🙂
I’m not sure if I naturally adapt well to change or if it’s because I read Who Moved My Cheese? early in my college career. Change happens. There’s no point in complaining about it. Adapt. Oh, and I also covered Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People in the first business class I ever took. Maybe it changed my life.
When I got a new job a couple months ago I had myself so nervous before I even started. It was actually a bit ridiculous. But once I got in there the first day all of my nerves were gone. I accepted the fact that I am new and this is not a job I have ever done before. Of course everyone else is going to be better than me. (I like to be the best 🙂 but that can’t always happen)
I asked questions to the girl I worked with that I felt was the most knowledgeable and watched the way she worked. Now I am very glad I decided to take work in a new field. Change is scary, but a positive attitude can make change a very good thing.
I have come to the realization that change is inevitable, and that we must accept it. I’m not naturally inclined to want change in some aspects of life, but the reality is that change happens whether we like it or not.
To me, it’s the acceptance of the notion that change will happen and it’s out of our control, really has helped me. When I accept that I have no control over a lot of change, it helps me focus on my reaction to it – because that is one thing that we can all control. To that end, getting to the point of even embracing change and looking for opporutnities for betterment can make it easier.
Very relevant post in today’s evolving business world Daisy. Companies must adapt quickly to stay competitive.
I for one love change when it’s aimed in the right direction. All too often, companies get caught up in corporate BS, wrapped in a buzz word tortilla. Change, simply to follow the advice of consultants, I can’t stand.