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How to Adapt to Change
by Marsha Lindquist
We all experience uncertainty at one level or another. Some people are faced with it on a daily basis. Those of us who had a family member or friend fighting an illness or life catastrophe deal with uncertainty every day. People with a life-threatening disease do not know what the future will bring, or if they will have a future. People who own a business deal with change almost on an hourly basis.
Accept Uncertainty
Although our work environment is not life-threatening, we have to deal with uncertainty. Downsizing, mergers, reorganizations, and questions about company survival may not be pleasant. They are usually signs of better things to come. The only way to deal positively with uncertainty ahead is to accept it.
Look Forward to the Future
Even though technology is advancing at breakneck speed, we still cannot change the past. We have to accept what has happened and move forward. Looking toward the future means setting goals. By setting goals, you will be able to move toward your dreams. Without goals, we are just dreamers. Ralph Waldo Emerson said it this way: "You are the only person who can use your ability. It is an awesome responsibility."
It is important to hold onto dreams and think about where we are today. Are we working toward our goals and dreams? Are we doing what we really enjoy? Are we living the life we really want to live? What is stopping us? These are questions we must answer as we strive toward our future.
Get the Ball Rolling
Have you even wondered why a car has brakes? Sounds like a dumb question, doesn't it? Once a car gets going, it is hard to stop. So a car needs brakes. That's nothing new to any of us. But, you know what? The same principle applies to us. Once we get our momentum going, we are hard to stop. We have the ability to use our influence and motivation to create a positive and productive working environment.
Open Lines of Communication
Communication is essential to the success and productivity of a business. Consider the following story.
This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Everybody got mad about this because it was Somebody’s job. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody asked Anybody. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
Unfortunately, the real story is a lot less humorous and costs businesses time, money, productivity and, in many cases, jobs. In uncertain times of rapid change, we tend to fear the unknown, not knowing what is going to happen next. The responsibility for opening the lines of communication is up to all of us.
We have a bright future ahead. The four phrases we mentioned are not a set of miracle drugs. Our companies and our individual attitudes have a long way to go. We cannot simply wish upon a star, click our heels three times, or whisper an incantation, but we can improve tomorrow.
Charles F. Kettering said, "My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."
Ever feel like your workplace is spinning out of control? New policies, more job responsibilities, higher expectations, looming layoffs — these seem to be happening every day.
The pace of change in the workplace has skyrocketed in the last few years. It is not likely to slow down. Things are moving so fast that even senior managers often don’t know how to cope, so it is not surprising that people further down the ladder feel tremendous stress, frustration, and even anger.
Resistance to all this workplace change is natural, but left unchecked it can destroy your career, to say nothing of your health and personal life. Absenteeism due to stress-related illnesses has become a major problem in most workplaces. So how can you cope with all this change without it eating away at you?
Identify the effects of change
First, it is important to recognize it for what it is. Accept that you will respond emotionally to change at first. Everybody does. Give yourself time to cool down before reacting. When I worked in a job where I got a lot of criticism from the technical staff, I’d sit down and draft angry letters to them to get my frustration out. Feeling better, I’d then get a good night’s sleep. In the morning I’d rip them up and write a calm, rational reply, which I’d send in. (Warning: if you are going to write anything while angry – even if you never plan to send it – make sure you write it at home, and not on a company computer where somebody might stumble across it.)
Once you get your emotions under control, you need to hunt for the silver lining. If you dig deep enough, most change will offer opportunities as well as threats. Even losing your job can give you a chance to reassess and move in a more satisfying career direction.
The best way to deal with the massive rate of change is to prepare for it. Most important, stay visible and be adaptable. That means networking outside as well as inside your organization. Being part of a good network will have several benefits:
• You’ll be more likely to hear about potential changes "through the grapevine", so you can think about what impact the changes might have on you and plan your response.
• Since you’ll be better known, you are more likely to be asked to provide input before any changes are made.
• In a worst-case scenario, you’ll have the contacts you’ll need to help you land a new job quickly.
Beyond networking, be sure to document your accomplishments, and how you spend your time. If a new boss suddenly appears or your current one has layoff decisions to make, you’ll be better able than most to demonstrate your value to the company.
Remember, whenever change happens, much of it will be beyond your control. We tend to focus on that and get frustrated. Instead, learn to focus on what you can control.
* Develop a winning attitude
* Stay flexible in the midst of change
* Accept uncertainty
* Gain control during the age of instability
* Find opportunity in change
* Take smart risks
* Create paradigm shifts
* Accept new work realities
* Take responsibility for your career
* Invest in your own growth and continuous improvement
* Anticipate changes
* Contribute to and add value to the organization
* Be proactive
* Bring value to customers and the company
* Have realistic expectations about work and what the company "owes" you
* Make better decisions
* Overcome your fear of change
* React positively to change
* Create an organizational change inventory
* View success as your only option
* Develop a plan of action
About the Author
Marsha Lindquist, a business strategist for over 15 years, draws on her proven “down in the trenches” experience, creativity, and participative manner to provide real solutions to businesses to assist them in building and growing their businesses. She is an energetic presenter and is also the Chief Executive Officer of The Management Link, Inc. As well as being the author of “Why Are You Still Working Your A** Off?”, she has written and published several professional journal articles on business strategy and negotiations. She can be reached by E-mail at Marsha@MarshaLindquist.com
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