Embrace Change…And Find Out What You’re Capable Of

Today’s blog entry is inspired by a couple of different events from the last couple of weeks.  Overall, July has been an interesting month for many reasons.  There have been a lot of changes going on at work, and I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about change and the different reactions that people have to change.  As I was doing some chores around the house, I had time to think and string some thoughts together.

As I reflected on the month of July, I realized that a person’s attitude towards embracing change is a direct reflection of the cause of the change.  I was invited to a friend’s house for the 4^th of July to spend time with her, her family, and her friends.  I had a great time while I was there.  Her daughters know me as “Uncle Larry”, and it was a good chance to get to spend some time with them.  As I was talking to one of the daughters, she made the following comment:  “I’m not very good at writing”.  Immediately, my coaching instincts kicked in and my response was:  “It’s not that you’re not very good at writing, but rather you need to work at it”.  Her father’s response was in the line that it was a great way to look at the situation.  When I coach youth soccer, most of the players I work with really begin to improve when they change their mental attitude about their ability.  So, whenever they say they’re not very good at something, I immediately correct their perspective, and make them realize that they just need to work at it more.  It’s the difference between a negative and a positive view of the situation.

What I have discovered as a coach is that if a player has a negative attitude about their ability to get better at something, often working at getting better will be viewed as a difficult chore, and they will be less willing to work at it.  When they have a positive attitude about their ability to get better at something, they are often motivated by the perspective that they are working to get better.  Of course, it’s not as simple as that.  One of the things I also do is put measurements in place with the player where we regularly track their progress and set new goals for how they want to get better.  I will typically do this with a visual tracking system where the progress is easy to see.  Having visual reminders and progress is often a motivator.  You have to remind the player that they are not always going to consistently get better.  They will have dips in performance, but that shouldn’t deter them. 

Along with this, the last couple of weeks at work have involved making changes to try to improve what we do and how we do it.  Quite often at work, not matter where I've been, there are two ways that different people approach change.  One group of people views change as something that has been forced on them, and something that will cause a disruption in the way they do things.  Another group of people views it as a challenge, and use it as a way to step up their game to see what they’re capable of.  In my experience, the first group resists change because they view it as a chore.  The second group looks at it as an opportunity, and is more apt to embrace and pursue the change.

Throughout my career, I have often found myself sitting in meetings where we were talking about current processes and changes to make improvements in the current processes.  The meetings can be interesting because you have some people where no matter what is suggested, they find a reason not to change.  Change is viewed as hard, and viewed as a chore.  Then, you have other people that view change as a way to make positive improvements, and embrace the change.  The difference between the two groups is not the change itself, but rather their mental perspective about what change means.

One very common misinterpretation of a suggested change is that people take it personally, like they’re not doing their job or that others think the job can be done better by other people.  Immediately, the barriers and defense mechanisms kick in, and no matter what you suggest, there is resistance to change or denial that any improvements need to be made.  In almost every case, it’s no necessarily the person’s fault as to why things need to change, but rather the process they are using.  In this situation, what you need to do is continually have the people involved focus on the change of the process, and to try to keep reminding them that it’s not a personal attack, but rather an “attack” on the situation.   

I have a confession to make.  I’m not always really good with change either.  Many people I work with may not view me that way.  Externally, I often come across as someone who embraces change, and is always looking to improve.  However, internally, I often struggle with it.  I take my job and what I do very personally.  I always want to be the best that I can be and succeed at everything I do.  So, when it comes time to change or improve something I have done, it can be difficult to deal with.  However, I have come to a point in my career where I can push those feelings aside and do what needs to be done.  So, even though my initial reaction may be that of fear or resistance, after I’ve had time to process it, I’m able to move forward and do what needs to be done.  That’s the key.  You need to be able to process your fears, push them aside, and then do what needs to be done.

As far as managers go, I think there are a couple of things that people need to keep in mind.  First, is the fact that not all people accept change at the same pace, and your going to have to do more hand holding with some people when it comes to working through feelings and accepting change.  To go with that, you also want to make sure that you take the time to review a change that someone made, and show them how a change made a positive impact.  When you do this, the next time they are asked to make a change, it will be a less painful experience.  Second, you need to put processes and policies in place that encourage change.  This could be in the form of recognition or rewards for ideas and behavior that contributed to positive change.  Third, it needs to be visual.  Almost everyone is motivated when they walk by some sort of visual measurement system where they can see that progress is being made.  Verbal acknowledgement is a great thing and still required, but when people have something visual to look at, it’s a regular reminder of the progress they are making when it comes to change.

If you’re a non-manager that is reading this blog entry, I challenge you to do what you can to accept change.  Change is not easy, no matter who you are.  However, I have found throughout my career that when I put my feelings aside and accept change, I am often surprised at what I am able to accomplish.  So, as the title of the blog goes… Embrace Change…And Find Out What You’re Capable Of.  You will be surprised with the results.