By Bill Dickinson
Socrates, the classical Greek philosopher once wrote:
The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.
For many of us, and in a multitude of businesses, change is a constant. And whether a business is pivoting for relevance, roles are expanding for progress, or departments are realigning for efficiencies, something
new is at the heart of the change initiatives. And, never has this been truer for all of us in the midst of a global pandemic. The opportunity, for us, is to capitalize on this new reality while acknowledging one’s angst, uncertainty, and/or the possibilities within a changing environment.
Mindful that change initiatives can cause a variety of feelings and subsequent actions, I thought I would offer the following thoughts as it applies to resilience.
But let’s first define it:
Resilience is the capacity to cope with stress and adversity. It comes from believing in yourself and at the same time, in something bigger than yourself.
- Resilience is not a trait that people are born with; it involves behaviors, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone. Inc. 2015
- Resilience can be understood as one’s ability to cope with adverse situations (WFH, Loss of Employment, the Stress of COVID-19), and bounce back even stronger.
Said another way, as much as we experience unwanted change, we can also leverage or develop resilience; that is to say, our ability to cope with adversity, stress, and the required pivots to succeed emotionally and professionally. Five suggestions:
1) Acknowledge any feelings associated with the change you are experiencing; indeed, write down those feelings so as to better reflect on them and own them.
- Are you at a place where you can identify 1-2 benefits that may counteract the feelings associated with your experience of change? If so, great. If not, that’s OK too.
2) Be mindful of your thinking. Your thoughts influence feelings AND then, your feelings create behaviors.
- Are your current behaviors acceptable to you? If not, what thoughts do you need to change in order to minimize behaviors that are not acceptable? For instance, becoming withdrawn, or socially isolated, will likely heighten any experience of angst or uncertainty you may be feeling?
3) Seek clarity on “why” any change initiative is being proposed or implemented. Ask your leader and stay in touch with all forms of communication; and seek to understand the rationale and benefits as best as you can. Knowledge influences thoughts. Which, in turn, influences your feelings and of course your behaviors.
4) Adapt a new mind-set: “I will choose to become a part of the change, and to support it.” Developing a mind-set that
leans into any form of change enables your own influence
with change. This kind of self-leadership also models courage and resiliency for others who may be struggling.
5) Identify
one activity, responsibility, or action that will enable you to experience this change so as to better understand it and learn from it. For instance, even asking the question, “How is everyone feeling about the current change initiative or pivot in the business?” can prompt empathy as well as a pathway to resilience for your colleagues.
When you really think about it, we are always going through or initiating some form of change. This may be within a company culture, but it also includes a life-changing health diagnosis, the unfortunate reality of a divorce, becoming empty-nesters, the loss of a good friendship, the joy of starting a family, or a much sought-after new role, etc.
Acknowledging change is important but understanding and embracing resilience is
vital. May I invite you to own your feelings and then, to engage your innate dignity to create a new reality that contributes to your own well-being—and self-leadership.
Two resources for your consideration and development:
Article:
5 TED Talks on Change
Website: www.resiliencealliance.com
Updated from a Previously Published Article on LinkedIn, Sept. 16, 2018
11 articles
A reflection to assist my colleagues as they encounter change, and exercise resilience. We’re in this together.
Bill Dickinson
Bdickinson@turknett.com 770-270-1723
