Why Change is an Opportunity

Change can be unpredictable, and at the end of the day, the results of our changing circumstances always come down to how we respond to them. In Step 9 of '10 Steps to Better Leadership,' I’m outlining how you can get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and take the next vital step in leadership and self-growth.

Greet change with a 'good to know.'

Say ‘Yes’ to what’s next, change is an opportunity. There are three common responses to change – surprise, panic, and blame, which all argue with the reality that change is upon us and keeps us from adapting to our new environment.

Get neutral about change by welcoming it with a ‘good to know.’ or replacing the word ‘change’ with ‘next.’

In any event of a change, employees settle into one of three areas (resistance, maintenance, or vision.) Individuals in maintenance represent largely untapped potential and are often activated by following the actions of those accelerating in vision mode.

It’s okay to play favorites. Does your employee want to know how to be a favorite? Simply ask them to be willing, to get into vision mode. Change is only hard for the unready. Take into account these two statistics:

The average manager spends 80 hours extra a year on one person in resistance.

The odds of changing individuals in resistance are less than 3% and typically require a life-changing event.

The best way to address these numbers, and greet change, is to refer to ‘step 8,’ and create momentum by working with the willing.

It can be positive to get negative with your team

It can be positive to get negative with your team – but only in the service of moving things forward. Negative Brainstorming is a Reality-Based Leadership exercise that helps to redirect all of the energy that your team may be putting into resistance or dissent and harness it to create strategies to mitigate each risk. Transitioning your team from resistance to success in spite of circumstances is vital to your success.