How Well Are You Managing Change?

I was hired by two organizations within the past two weeks to lead a workshop on this topic for management and employees, because change impacts everyone at ALL levels within an organization. Change has an impact on you whether you work for someone else, work for yourself, or don't work at all. The truth of the matter is that change is constantly happening all around us!

As we discussed in the workshops "Riding the Waves of Change," change is becoming the new business model for most organizations. So, being flexible and able to adapt to change in a way that works for you and not against you is key -- both personally and professionally.

So, how well are you managing the change in your personal and professional life? If you feel like you're managing the effects of change pretty well, congratulations -- give yourself a big pat on the back!

If, on the other hand, you cringe when you hear "there's another change coming soon" or you feel as though you just can't take one more organizational restructuring, there are some things that you can do. For those of you who have gone through the workshop, you know that there is so much more to explore on this topic, but here are a few basic tips to help you manage change.

Top 3 Tips for Managing Change:

Tip #1

Expect change! Let's face it -- change is a part of life. The more we expect change, the less we resist it. And, the more we expect change, the easier it is to accept change as a part of life. So, when we shift to a mindset that "change IS the new business model," then change generally creates less angst for us (and we are better able to handle the stress that may come with change).

Tip #2

Learn to "ride the waves" of change: Think for a moment about the last time you saw someone riding waves on a surfboard, jet ski, speedboat, etc. What did you notice? That person probably had agility and balance. They likely anticipated the waves, and then navigated them appropriately. They probably didn't "fight" the waves, but rather eased into them. These same principles can be used in your personal and professional life to help you manage change.

Tip #3

Make the conscious choices and take the actions that support you: Although we can't "control" change, we can control our response to the changes around us. We can take actions that support our best interests in managing change in a healthy way. Even in the most challenging situations, we do have choices about the actions we take in response to the situations.

Here are some questions to consider as you reflect on these tips:

-- Where in my life is my resistance to change holding me back?

-- What is one thing I can start doing differently today to manage change in a more healthy way for me?

-- What will I say "yes" to in order to better manage the change in my life?

-- What will I say "no" to in order to better manage the change in my life?

It IS possible to "ride the waves of change" so you can lead the life you want!