Change is the only Constant

One of the favorite things to do at this time of year is to make resolutions, or promises of change. Change is probably the only constant you will find in life. When we instigate our own change, whether it is stopping a bad habit or updating our look, we are able to accept it a little more easily. When change is hoisted upon us, it becomes more difficult to handle.

Organizations are constantly changing. No matter how well intentioned, change causes fear in unenlightened employees and organization members. When I speak regarding adjusting to change in the workplace I like to cover the inevitability of change, surviving change and taking ownership of your attitude.

Change is Inevitable – Just as the daylight turns to night, change is happening all around us. How we handle that change makes or breaks us. You must maintain a positive outlook and cooperative attitude. Traveling from desk to desk moaning and complaining will only feed the resistance to change, making you appear to be a problem employee.

Feeling confused or disappointed is natural. You probably aren’t aware of the big picture and may not be fully informed. Maintain an open mind. Over the course of time you will come to understand the purpose of the change.

With change there will be challenges. As staff begin to take on new or additional responsibilities there will be set-backs and errors. Practice makes perfect. Keep your temper in check and your attitude positive to help the transition.

Surviving Change – There is no need to feel helpless during times of change. You may feel uncertainty, a lack of confidence in the change, and doubts about potential success of the change. You may question the motives of the management, or feel you are being manipulated. These are all normal. Being honest with your supervisor and maintaining open communications will help you adjust. While you may not be given all the answers to your questions, you will still get some.

Downsizing usually means doing as much, or more, with fewer people. Advances in technologies that were supposed to make our jobs easier have given us more work to do in less time. By taking a hard look at the situation, and requesting additional training, you are no longer a ‘victim’ of the change. Being open to training is a sign that you have the company’s interest at heart and puts you in charge of your career.

The fact is this: If you are going to continue to take their money, you have to play by their rules. It is better to embrace the change than to try to fight it. More often than not, fighting the change will get you fired, demoted or worse … ignored. It’s everyone’s job to make it work. Time will be the deciding factor whether the change has been successful.

Take Ownership –Your attitude is YOUR attitude. No one else can make you have a good one or bad one. If you are having difficulty adjusting to changes you may want to take a pen and paper and write down exactly what it is that is bothering you. Conduct an assessment of your attitude. Set some goals for personal change. How well do you:

· Accept direction;
· Work as part of a team;
· Provide courteous assistance to customers; or,
· Accept challenges.

These are all areas that can be improved upon, with a little hard work. As you strive to improve yourself you will find the improvements also spill over to your personal life.

Change is going to happen and we don’t always have a choice in the matter. How we respond to the change can make the difference in whether we adapt successfully or not. A review of our attitude and making our own necessary change could be in order.