4 Compelling Tactics for Conquering Change

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”565px” height=”” background_color=”#d7d7d7″ border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]This is the first post on my blog from Leo J. Lampinen. Leo is passionate about leadership and a dealer in supplemental vitamins of influence for leaders at all levels. Read more from him on his own blog, leadershipvitamin.com. He will be posting here on asmithblog.com every Wednesday about how we can all become better leaders.[/dropshadowbox]

 

Photo Credit: marsmet549 via Flickr cc

“Why do we have to go through all this change?”

According to personal accountability author/speaker, John G. Miller, this is what he calls an “IQ” or Incorrect Question. Asking questions like this put you in the victim zone, a place where you’re placing blame and not taking ownership.

My daily routine recently took a turn because of some changes that occurred recently in my household. My wife and I have welcomed twin boys into the world this past May, my work schedule remains constant, I’m trying to finish a degree, and then I blog at least once a week on top of all this. Additionally, every spring/summer our office goes through a personnel transfer. With new personnel comes several sets of fresh eyes, new ideas, and healthy outlooks. While this is certainly a good thing, it can sometimes be frustrating to implement new ideas when you’re so comfortable in what you’ve been doing for so long, and that which felt so right.

We don’t live in a static world, everything around us is constantly changing and how you handle those changes will ultimately leave a mark on you as a leader.

Here are four tactics you can employ right now to deal with those changes:

1.  Remain Calm

You have got to remain calm amidst the chaos of change. If a ripple in your calm waters causes you to erupt into a tidal wave, then you’re going to have a hard time adapting and ultimately in the long run.  Take a moment to step back before stepping forward. If you can stick it out in the beginning, then later down the road you’ll have a better time understanding the situation. Also, by erupting or failing to yield, you may end up doing something you will regret later. Be patient, after the storm passes, the turbulence in the sea will dissipate. Then is the right time to push the throttle forward and trudge through.

2.  Embrace It

How does the old saying go? ‘The more things change, the more they stay the same?’  That’s it. If you go with it, then you can grow with it. When your life and your routine is interrupted it is going to feel like a bigger deal than it really is. Embrace it now because if you fight it, it will fight back.

3.  Own It

Now that you know what the interruption is, you can step in and take charge. That is what a great leader does. Now is the time to happen to “it” before “it” happens to you. By taking ownership you’re also creating a slot for yourself in any decision making. If you can be a part of the process, then it is less likely that you’ll feel like you’re being run over.

4.  Over Deliver

Just because you’ve had to adapt to something new doesn’t mean that your performance has to drop. Yes, you might have to work just a little bit harder to find a new normalcy, but if you can keep your head above water and maintain on your promises, then you are that much further ahead. You have now taken ownership of these changes, which means there is no better time to strive in the face of adversity.

So when faced with a new environment or a different set of circumstances, the question behind the question you should be asking sounds more like “How can I adapt to this changing environment?”

What can you do today to avoid asking incorrect questions in a changing environment? You can leave your comment below.