DEVELOPMENT
The must-have skills to accept and embrace change
COVID-19 has hammered home something we already knew — that change is inevitable and often completely out of our control . It has also taught us that we have no choice but to accept it — good change , bad change , even change that we didn ’ t ask for , says Campbell Macpherson .
We all erect our own personal barriers to change Identify yours . This too , is natural ; an evolutionary protection instinct . We can ’ t help it . These barriers often appear in the form of negative thoughts , doubts and fears (“ But you ’ ve never done this before ”, “ You don ’ t have the skills ”, “ You will never find another job like that one ”, …)
We need to realise that the negative thoughts we have during times of change are not real . They are just thoughts . Stay detached . Watch them , again without judgment , and they will dissipate . Fight with them and they will grow . So , we need to deprive them of the attention that they crave . They are not worthy of your time or energy .
Attitude is everything It is easy to feel powerless when big change is done to us . But we are not powerless at all , for we are in control of one crucial factor — how we react to the change . This can make all the difference .
Build confidence in your future Build confidence based on an assessment of your past experience and what makes you special — your key strengths and skills . Hope based on empty wishes is hollow . Hope based on the reality of the strengths that lie within you is real .
THE EXPERT
Campbell Macpherson is a sought-after speaker and international business adviser on leadership , strategy and change who splits his time between Australia and the UK . He is a keynote speaker , Executive Fellow of Henley Business School and author . His first book , The Change Catalyst ( Wiley 2017 ), won 2018 Business Book of the Year in London . His latest book , The Power to Change ( Kogan Page 2020 ) is out now and available from Booktopia .
We can try to fight against it , we can bury our heads in the sand and hope it will all go away , but the sooner we can come around to accepting the reality of the situation , the better off we will be — at work and in personal life . But how ? What are the secrets to accepting and embracing change ? I ’ m glad you asked .
Acknowledge the inevitability of change Appreciate that change is not a project , nor is it temporary . Change is constant . It is a part of life . Admitting this to yourself is the first step towards accepting and embracing it .
Understand that all change is emotional The strong , often negative , emotions we experience during times of dramatic change are also inevitable — and entirely normal . We undergo a rollercoaster of emotions as we travel through the Burning Platform Change Curve — shock , denial , anger , fear and various forms of hopelessness . Before we move up the curve , our head can start to understand the change and our hearts can begin to accept it . The anxiety we all felt at various times throughout the last year is a form of fear — and , again , this is entirely normal .
What we must do is simply observe the emotional states in which we find ourselves during times of change . Just observe our denial , our anger , our anxiety – without any judgment whatsoever .
Seek help from others Reaching out to others is not only a normal human emotion , it can be a life saver . Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in the West , and the single thing that any one of them could have done to save their lives was to open up to someone , to talk , or to ask for help . The Ford Clinic in the States has reduced suicide rates among their patients by more than 80 % simply by helping them to open up to family and friends . Asking for help is that powerful .
You can be your own change leader Even in the darkest of moments , you can be your own change catalyst . You have the power to help yourself . When you find yourself in the Trough of the change curve , by all means sympathise and empathise with yourself . Allow yourself to feel sorry for yourself ; to acknowledge the fact that this change is not something you asked for and yes , may indeed be completely unfair .
But then , when you can sense that the time is right , look at yourself in the mirror and ask your reflection the magic question that will unlock your future ; the question that will instantly put you in the driver ’ s seat during even the most disruptive and traumatic change : “ OK , so what am I going to do about it ?.” For the power to change lies within very single one of us . S
www . changeandstrategy . com
Summer Issue 2021 | Executive PA 57