Change

"Change is the only constant" Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

​How ironic that today’s writing theme is ‘Change’, given that top of today’s ‘To Do List’ is to embark on creating my first webinar aimed at Heads and Governors, about Managing Change in these current circumstances. Obviously this writing challenge has now bumped that task to number two on the list!  

This is most definitely a time of change, on many levels, for the majority of people across the world. Very few landscapes have not been affected, or had enforced change, by the restrictions and implications of the coronavirus. Personally, my consultancy of working face-to-face is fast-changing as I adopt Zoom calls, online workshop creation and live webinars. Don’t get me wrong, I love being challenged professionally and finding the flex and skills to learn new approaches, up-skill my technical knowledge and adapt my style of presenting, has been really exciting and created a new sense of purpose and drive for me.
 
I am acutely aware how change can cause undue stress and worry and changes that are entirely at the mercy of something out of your control, incur an even greater degree of concern. Having strategies and techniques to call on at times like these is imperative. Here are some that I have drawn on over the years (and now) to help get me through challenging times.

• Consider what is really going on and articulate how you honestly feel about it. Be true to yourself and accept how you are feeling, it is OK not to be OK about things. Being authentic is the only starting point to managing change.
• Take the long view and don’t just focus on the present. Understand that there is an arc of time with a beginning, a middle and an end (it will end!). Think carefully about what was, is and will be.
• Remind yourself of what you are trying to achieve and for whom. By reminding yourself that what you are doing is for the benefit or good of others, helps you to keep on top of your emotions and refocus on the desired outcomes.
• If you feel that voice of doubt or negativity creeping in, reframe it in a positive way and with purpose.
• When there is no way of knowing with certainty what lies ahead, or the best course of action to take, there is no time for perfection. Being right before you make decisions takes time and speed of decision in these circumstances is necessary to stay as close to the top of the wave of solution as possible.
• Be kind to yourself and understand that by acting in an urgent, honest and iterative fashion means mistakes are inevitable, but by correcting your course and not assigning blame, is the way to make it through.

 I hope that you find these tips helpful and I wish you the very best with managing whatever changes are happening in your lives right now. We are all in this together and there is a wealth of knowledge and support out there. Don’t be afraid to ask for it.