Coping with change can always be difficult, whether it’s in your personal life or in your professional life. And there are a variety of major changes which could occur in the workplace, even in largely stable offices.
We are not talking about the type of change which can be interpreted as a positive outcome, i.e., you receive that promotion you’ve been waiting for, the corresponding salary bump and the nice office with a window. That’s a personal and professional win-win situation for you.
However, what if you’re given the responsibilities for that promotion without receiving any increase in pay?
What if you’re passed over for the promotion and have to watch your former
colleague or underling become your new boss? What if your company is being
bought out or merged with another company? What if you’re transferred to a new
division within the company, or a new office or location?
These are the types of
changes which can be negatively construed, and it’s important to learn the
right strategies to cope with them.
In the workplace, change may
be hard to come to terms with due to your concerns or stress about how that
change may impact your future or your day-to-day experiences. However, being
resistant to change, becoming overwhelmed or negative, or overly stressed or
complaining, only leads to more problems in the office, and will reflect poorly
on you.
One key to handling change is
perspective. You still have a job and you are above ground! You also need awareness about yourself, your
beliefs and your reactions, and why you believe the change is a problem.
Understanding this will enable you to shape your reactions and respond more
appropriately, while ridding yourself of misconceptions and incorrect beliefs.
Maybe it’s not what you
wanted, or expected, but it has taken place, and it’s up to you to be able to
adapt. You might believe this means
certain professional doom, but that belief isn’t backed up by fact. You need to
show that you can roll with the punches a little bit, and respond to adversity
as part of your professional development.
That doesn’t mean simply
keeping your mouth shut and setting a time bomb within yourself which will
eventually explode, either. Voicing legitimate concerns, having productive
communication with colleagues and bosses, brainstorming solutions to issues
you’re dealing with, are all positive strategies. If you can handle adversity
and change, while making a positive impact moving forward, you’ll be an
invaluable commodity to the company.
With
the right approach and the right mindset, you can overcome negative changes,
and respond to them in ways which help your professional presence. Entire
offices can also work together to learn communication and problem-solving
skills with Larry Lipman’s Team Building programs. To get started
or learn more, call 770.333.3303 today.