Change is the only constant. Change brings about opportunity. Change brings about growth.
3 phrases you hear all the time when you enter the business world, particularly in the tech industry. And it is true – change is inevitable and the only thing you can be sure of. That doesn’t mean it’s always easy to deal with.
Having learned this the hard way – one time I actually cried at work due something big changing – I thought I’d share my top tips on not just how to cope with change but how to embrace it.
- Take a step back. Before you do anything else, take some time to digest the information. If you’re at work, take a walk to the coffee area, pop outside, go to the bathroom… anything that means you take a complete step back from the situation before reacting. Give yourself a chance to breathe and catch up with your thoughts.
- Understand what it actually means. When announcements are made it’s very easy to jump to conclusions, your mind starts whizzing around and before you know it you have convinced yourself that this is the worst thing that could have happened. Talk to your manager, read any resources that are provided and ask questions. Don’t make assumptions.
- Look at your options. Don’t wait for someone else to determine your fate. Too often it’s the people that sit and wait for the consequence to happen that end up losing out. When change is announced and you understand what it means, work out how this aligns to what you want to do.
- Get a go-to person. Both at work and in your personal life. This can make a world of difference. You need someone at work who you can trust and that will go for a walk with you when you need it – you don’t need to explain things to them they just get it. This can often be more useful in those *oh, crap* moments at work than your support network at home.
- Fake it ’til you make it. I can’t emphasise this enough. No one really knows what they are doing and if you keep telling yourself that you’re okay, that you know what you’re doing and you can handle it. At some point you really do start to believe it.
So, there you have it. 5 top tips from a converted change-hater to change-lover.
P.S. it’s totally okay to still have moments of pure panic, but that’s why it’s important to have a support network to lean on.