What can we do to overcome the fear of change?
Hello Googlization Nation!
If there ever was a case to be made that Never Normal is the New Normal, events of the past few days offer evidence. While the worst of the pandemic finally seems to be behind us (at least for the time being), our attention has turned to the brink of war, reminiscent of a Cold War which ended before many Millennials and Gen Z were even born. Inflation is increasing at rates not seen in 40 years. And just when many companies were calling employees back to the office, rising gas prices might make employers and workers think twice before filling up their tanks.
And it's only the 1st day of March!
It's time to get comfortable being uncomfortable. But first we need to overcome our fear of change. Below is Part 2 of what can we do to overcome it? To read Part 1, click here!
PART 2: What can we do to overcome our fear of change (metathesiophobia?)
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to deal with metathesiophobia will vary from person to person. But in the business world, where change is constant, and uncertainty is the new normal, how can we overcome our fear of change?
It starts and ends with one word: adaptability.
McKinsey recently set out to study what skills people would need in the future world of work. Their research identified 56 foundational skills that will help us thrive. When focused on employability, the winner and undisrupted champion is adaptability. Adaptability is so important that NASA considers it in screening the next generation of astronauts.
What is adaptability? It is our ability to adjust and change to our environment, like water adapts to the shape of its container and depending on the environment to a solid-liquid-gas state. People need to “Be Like Water.”
The obvious question then becomes how can we be like water? That conversation leads us to the most recent studies and findings relating to the adaptability quotient (AQ). One’s AQ, a measure of our ability to adapt to change, is influenced and determined by 15 dimensions that make up the ACE (Ability-Character-Environment) model.
One of the 5 Adapt-abilities is called AQ mindset. It’s commonly associated with a growth mindset.?
A growth mindset is fundamental to adaptability. It’s the belief that we can improve and develop our skills and intelligence through hard work, good strategies, and input from others (compared to a fixed mindset that believes we either have the smarts and abilities or we don’t.).?
AQ and growth mindset are mutually reinforcing. While AQ gives us the tools to influence change, a growth mindset gives us the power to embrace it.
The good news is that both AQ and growth mindset can be learned and improved. With the right tools and strategies, anyone can increase their develop a growth mindset and boost their AQ (and vice versa.)
Here are three practical tips to help you do so:
Practice.
Imagine what would happen if every child who thinks “I’m not good at walking, talking, and eating” just stopped trying. From our first days on earth, we learned new skills. We fell down over and over and spoke in words few adults could understand. But with practice, we learned and grew up to become technicians, doctors, teachers, and even Olympic athletes. Humans don’t come out of the womb with professional degrees and technical skills. We learn them. They just take practice. So does building a growth mindset. If you think “I’m just not good enough or smart enough,” just stop. Take a deep breath. And practice whatever it is you need to do differently to get “unstuck,” de-stress, and grow.
Learn Like A Scientist.
We are obsessed with perfection. We celebrate A’s in schools and athletes who break world records. But somewhere along the way winning and perfection become the goal and we lose sight of the outcome. We obsess about every mistake and imperfection and take defeat, adversity, and rejection personally. While quality and lofty aspirations are still worthy goals, obsess about the process and the journey, not mistakes and accidents. Learn from them. That’s what scientists do - they experiment. That’s what Olympic athletes do. They fall, crash, learn, fix, and try again.
Stop comparing yourself to others.
Imagine what the next Olympics and Super Bowl would look like if all the athletes who didn’t win or get a chance to participate, quit their sport. Since only 3% of Olympic athletes win a medal or NFL players get a chance to play in the championship, 97 percent of the “losers” would quit. It’s not an easy thing to lose or fall short of your dream. But real champions get back up, learn from mistakes, find ways to improve and come back to live another day. Measuring your success is important but don’t let others’s successes and failures blind you to your progress.?
Developing a growth mindset is not a do-it-yourself project. The fixed mindset is something that you learned over a lifetime. Just like you don’t become more empathetic by reading a book, you won’t pivot from a fixed to a growth mindset on your own. Find a mentor, coach, or just a buddy to hold you accountable and push you through the negative self-talk. The journey might be uncomfortable at times, especially when you can’t blame others for your failures or bad luck on your stagnation.?
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Where Have All The Workers Gone?
How long will these labor shortages last?
Our Geeks Geezer Googlization interview with Gad Levanon is now available. Gad, Chief Economist at the Burning Glass Institute, has won awards for accurately forecasting U.S. economic trends. What’s his take on how long the labor shortages will last and the shift to remote work?
“We are now experiencing two, once-in-a-century trends happening at the same time—the labor shortage is one and the shift to remote work is the other.” It’s dramatically changing the labor and economic playing field.
In this episode of Geeks, Geezers, Googlization, Gad joins hosts Ira Wolfe and Jason Cochran to break down the numbers behind the labor shortage and discuss ways businesses are adapting to keep filling job openings.
Along the way you’ll learn:
- The shift to remote work is changing the labor market in ways we have yet to realize
- Labor shortages aren’t new and they aren’t going away
- Automation isn’t evil, it can offset the labor shortage and create more jobs
What to listen for:
[05:53] The roots of the labor shortage problem
[11:08] Statistically unique hiring tactics
[14:35] Why blue-collar jobs are harder than ever to fill
[18:43] The ‘new normal’ for the job market
[21:26] Facts around automation
[27:08] How to take a snapshot of the labor market
[32:37] Ira and Jason’s Takeaways
If you enjoyed - and better yet intrigued by - this article, thank you. I hope you might then do me a favor:
Management Consultant
3 年Resistance to change is both common and natural. Successful change initiatives must recognize and plan for addressing resistance to change. Many people who promote change are asking other to change while they resist change themselves.