In a recent report the American Business Confrence stated that, "One of the great problems associated with success and the
achievement of great size is the risk that executives will behave as bureaucrats, not as creative thinkers." Are you as open to
change and new ways of doing things as you need to be in today''s volatile business environment?
1.Examine your history regarding change.
Witch of these five postures toward change is most typical for you?
*Do you avoid change, not seeing or acknowledging the need for it?
*Do you aften Resist change and defend the status quo?
*Do you tend to cooperate, going along with justifiable change, even if reluctantly?
*Are you out in front as someone who anticipates and sees the need for change even before others do?
*Are you a leader in creating change, taking action to bring it about?
Those who will gain the most from this list are probably in the first three categories.
2.Identify the change most troubling you.
Consider one change at work or home that you feel yourself resisting. Possible business changes include merger,restructuring,down-sizing,relocation, renaming of company,new hire,new assigment,new way of doing something,new board members,new boss,new team members,new schedule,new office,new technology,new laws of regulation,more work,less help,longer hours,retirement,going part time,being let go.
3.Be certain you understand the change.
Do you know exactly what this change involves? Has it been fully explained to you? What information do you still need in order to grasp the rationale for it, the role you need to play in it, and its implications for you, your employees, and your company? Find out.
4.Uncover the reasons for your resistance-the losses you fear.
People resist change when they believe they''ll lose something as a result. Typically feared losses include control,security,prestige,self esteem,ego, advantage,position,relationships ,freedom ,comfort ,predictability ,and wealth or money. Which of these are at the heart of your resistance ?
5.Determine how much those losses may be imaginary or overblown.
On a sheet of paper, record any indications that the loss you fear will actualy occur. What''s its probability? Talk to someone else to be certain your eyes are open to reality. Do you have a history of overreacting?
6.Determine how much those losses, while real, can be lessened to make the change tolerable.
On that sheet of paper, record any actions you can take to reduce the probability of the loss occurring or to soften its impact.
7.Determine how much those losses may prove eventually to be advantageous to you.
On the same sheet of paper, record the
potential each loss has for actually turning into an advantage - something you will someday value or at least tolerate without difficulty. Think back to once-feared changes that worked out for the best. Talk to others about apparent gains that you may not be allowing yourself to acknowledge.
8.Identify the pain of not changing.
After you''ve identified the potential pleasures that the change can bring, look at the potential pain of not changing.
9.Don''t compromise your values.
after completing this analysis, you may be ready to cooperate with the change that''s been concerning you. If so, make sure that such cooperation doesn''t come at the cost of compromising your fundamental values and beliefs. Indeed, this analysis may have confirmed that you need to stand up and be counted as a conscientious objector to the change.
10.Take action.
Either publicly announce you''ll back the change and support it through your actions, or declare your intent to increase your opposition. In the latter case, Consider what you''ll offer instead so as not to be seen as an obstructionist.