A new year rolls in with new projections, expectations and hopes. Many people have come to the realization that 2022 will not be like its two predecessors. Nor will we return to 2018’s way of life. We have enough sense to know that by now.
Hybrid work has changed business operations. Virtual schooling has done the same with our children’s learning mechanisms. Medical and protection guidelines have added regulations to social gatherings. All these changes have affected our relationships; sometimes pushing them to a breaking point.
Dwelling on how things once were is of no use. We must move forward, and we can only do so when our minds adjust to the great realization of 2022. In this blog, we offer three change acceptance techniques to help move ahead fairly quickly:
1. Strength of Letting Go
The hardest part of any change is in the introduction phase. This is because we forget to allow enough time for people to grief and let go of the past. Time to part with past habits, past processes, past working conditions …etc.
We need to set aside a limited period of time to deal with the impact of change coming our way. Process any emotions that spring out or even question the need for change in itself. In fact, allowing people to question the need for change and offering a detailed explanation, softens the blow and can help get buy-in for the change.
2. Back to Basics
Look for bottlenecks, or signs of potential bottlenecks, and dismantle them. The best way to do this is by dropping the “why” question to confirm we really need what we have built before us.
Question current rules and processes to make sure they still make sense. This can include the way meetings are run, the way decisions are made or how the organizational hierarchy is set up.
Consider consulting with a Simplification Advisor, or hiring a “Chief Simplification Officer” to continuously look for ways to simplify business operations. This Forbes article offers a justification for the position of a “Chief Simplification Officer”, and gives examples of areas to simplify.
3. Inject Fluidity
Accept that change is constant and that we can never have 100% certainty in anything. Thus, we need to set realistic expectations, and be agile enough to move with the next wave of change.
Rules, policies and processes should be checked for validity from time to time. Coupled with a mind-shift throughout the organization to get comfortable with possible change.
Excellent leaders are not only good at managing change, they also ensure those around them feel involved and supported with the right tools to go through the change as one.
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