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| Leverage change by focusing on the positive |
Although change can be negatively perceived, it is the fuel that
drives progress. Just imagine our world if no change had occurred in the last 30
years. Roll the calendar back to 1983, to find a world where cell phones were
few in number and looked like bricks. Laptop computers (let alone tablet
devices) were nonexistent, the Berlin Wall still stood, and FMLA was unknown. Despite the
trepidation to move away from the security of what is known, change can often
be good.
“Change Management” is the term given to efforts to help
people successfully navigate any type of change. Given that change is, by its
very nature, unpredictable and unwieldy, trying
to manage it may be a barrier to success. Leaders may be better served by
focusing on leveraging change rather
than managing it. Here are three steps to accomplish that goal:
Identify the levers
of change: Change doesn’t instantly materialize; it comes about because of
a real or perceived need. Ensure that, as a leader, you fully understand the
big picture behind the change. Often, there are influences outside your own job
or organization. Ask many questions to understand all of the "whys" behind any change effort.
Take a positive look ahead:
People are often mired in the challenge
of change simply because they are stuck in the present. That same mindset gives
us heartburn in stop-and-go traffic. We observe only the mass of idling cars
around us. We fail to see that we will
move through and reach our destination, soon to fully forget the unpleasant experience.
To leverage change, look ahead. What is the change intended to accomplish? Once
it’s fully implemented, how will life look? What are the three most positive
impacts likely to occur because of the change?
Embrace and promote
the change: Once a change initiative
is underway, it’s difficult to stop it. Yet many try, contributing to
frustration and wasted energy. With an understanding of the cause for change
and a focus on the probable positive outcomes, it’s easier to rally around the change effort
and become a cheerleader. It is rewarding and fulfilling to be a part of a
successfully completed strategy. It doesn’t feel nearly as good to resist and
derail a significant initiative.
Change will continue to influence every facet of our life –
and for that, we should be grateful. Decades from now, when human teleportation
allows instant contact with loved ones, cars sip energy from the air around
them and batteries run forever, we’ll have change to thank. Leverage change now to fully
realize the many benefits that it will bring tomorrow.
