Who moved my shoe? Yes, this is a spin-off title of one of the most famous books on “work change”, called “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson. Just months ago, my company acquired a new CEO and with new leadership comes a lot of CHANGE. The company has gone through a massive organizational re-structure and is in the process of a business strategy and re-branding transformation. It’s been an incredible journey thus far and I’ve learned so much about myself and my colleagues in the process. It’s been quite the learning curve for everyone in the organization. We all deal with change differently and it’s important to recognize this. I’ve been through some changes in companies before, however I would have to say this has been my biggest challenge yet. Here are a few things to keep in mind while going through organizational change:
Change Happens, Deal With It – Change is the only thing that is constant, pretty obvious right? No matter what happens in your life there will always be change and the quicker you realize this and accept it, the better off you’ll be. When you anticipate the change you can mentally prepare yourself for the it by taking whatever steps necessary to ease into the transition.
Stay Away From The Drama – You can’t avoid it, gossip and office politics, it’s like the plague in any organization and it spreads fast like wild fire. It’s understandable, people are going to want to talk, discuss and hash things out among their peers, but I would suggest being very mindful of the chitter chatter. Communication is always important but you need to also involve others outside from your own department. It’s crucial to be able to support and listen to your colleagues concerns, however don’t talk about what you don’t know because you could very well be disappointed in the outcome.
Be Present and Be Nimble – With a tornado whirling around in the organization, it doesn’t help when you try to add more wind to the mix. Staying calm and being flexible in the center of it all would be more beneficial. Yes, I know this is easier said then done, but take a deep breath, put on your ear phones and zone it out. Stay focused on the tasks at hand and be flexible. Your nimbleness will help you adapt quickly and move fast when needed.
Keep It Fun and Light – You have to keep going. Just because the organization is in the middle of mega change, doesn’t mean the business stops! It’s very important to maintain some of the fun activities in the office to keep everyone comfortable and positive. Thus the importance of “Fun Clubs” and making sure certain team activities are on-going no matter how big or small. Celebrate even the smallest achievements and make sure to continue acknowledging the people that are stand outs! For example: Our IT Department recently bought cupcakes for the entire company to congratulate us on a job well done, the Fun Club is in the middle of organizing a bowling night and we had a pizza day to celebrate Friday just for the heck of it. Every little thing counts.
Move It Along – After giving yourself some time to adjust and soak it all in, you just need to get on with it. You can only worry and complain so much before you become the negative force in the company. Don’t become that person, you’re better than that. You have to learn to trust your organization and the new leadership. Changes are usually brought upon in order to help an organization to propel forward not to self-destruct. The last time I checked, no one wants to be a failure on purpose so trust in yourself, the company, the new leadership and in your colleagues and move it along.
For better or for worst, change is here to stay. However, if you are able to anticipate change, adapt quickly, keep an open mind, support each other and embrace it, then changes in the workplace can actually spin into a positive dizzy and thrust you towards success.
Sunny Shum is a Footwear Buyer for Sterling Shoes and a blogger for www.partlysunny.ca
*Photo Credit: www.melophotography.com
Twitter @partly_sunny
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