Can you manage change effectively?
Have you ever had a lightbulb moment when you are reading something and suddenly everything makes sense? This happened to me when I revisited a book I read years ago called Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr Spencer Johnson.
In short, this book is about 4 characters who are seeking their “cheese.” The “cheese” represents what they really want from life, their goals and desires, and what people look for, a career, health, wealth and other things etc. Ultimately, the parable is about the inevitability of change and the pitfalls if you don’t embrace change. All four characters have different perceptions on how they deal with change…let me introduce you:
· Sniff – detects change early
· Scurry - quick to take action
· Hem – resists change
· Haw – adopts change with time
So, you may be wondering why I feel the need to share the above details with you?
Well, my lightbulb moment consisted of the realisation that I wasn’t getting the fulfilment I needed from my career? The “cheese” no longer provided the nourishment that I needed, but for some reason I was caught in a rut of returning to the same “cheese”. It was at this point that I realised that I had become Hem, I was resisting change because I was fearful of what it may mean. I became stuck in a cycle asking myself; What if I tried something else and it didn’t work? What if the new processes didn't make sense…..the what ifs kept coming.
Then I reminded myself that Dr Johnson states:
“What you are afraid of is never as bad as you imagine. The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that exists.”
At this point I realised that I couldn’t keep returning to the same “cheese” and expect new results – nothing was changing and the fulfilment was gone….. so something had to change. It was time to step away from the old methods and practices and as scary as it was; it was time to embrace the change. I wanted to be the Sniff and Scurry’s of this world!
And guess what?! Embracing the change was the best thing I ever did….I found a new fulfilling role that offered so much more than I could have ever wish for! The change really wasn’t that bad or scary.
Those who I worked with will know that I often refer to Who Moved My Cheese to encourage them to think about new opportunities and where change may lead them.
Over the years, I’ve realised that many companies are afraid of change because they’re worried about the impact it might have. My experience is that if you follow the procedures that are governed by law or compliance, they rest is yours to mould and adapt as you see fit.
My ethos is to encourage those thinking about change to consider the following questions:
· Do you understand the current performance of the company?
· Is change required to improve turnover or employee engagement?
· Do you make the same mistakes over and over again?
· Have you recently changed your methods for solving problems or do you rely on the same ones you have used for years?
· Do you monitor change? Are you keeping up to date with changes in your industry?
After considering the above if change is needed, it’s time to embrace it.
So here are my key tips if you’re thinking about change:
· Change is inevitable – it’s a constant in life so upskill yourself on how to manage and monitor it. If your “cheese” starts to smell old – do something about it
· Keep your employees informed along the way – it’s a lot easier to take them on the journey if they understand the direction you are travelling in
· Lead your employees through the change; don’t make them feel that this is being done to them
· Understand that you may have several ‘characters’ in your company as in the parable Who Moved my Cheese. Think about how you can encourage these characters to embrace the change
· Upskill your managers so that they understand skills, approaches and techniques including the Change Curve to support employees through change…. and remember that employees may be at different points on the curve and not everyone will reach the same point at the same time!
· Present the need for change and the expected impact of it. It goes back to the saying by Tony Robbins, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten”
· Give it a go – nothing ventured, nothing gained – if you don’t try new ways of working, you’ll never see the benefit it may have
· Keep a positive mindset in navigating change using resilience and agility to showcase change
· And as Johnson says: “The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can find new cheese.”
On a final note, if you feel like I did, and know that change is needed but are apprehensive of change or how to navigate your way through it, please contact us via hello@ena-hr.co.uk or via the following:
Tel: 07779 788 957
At Ena HR we have the tools and techniques, to help you to make change happen for your business.
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