Taking Small Steps to Become More Adaptable to Change

Change is not the exception anymore, it is a fact of life - especially given our economy and business environment.  That being said, change is still as scary as it ever was.  Some people are more adaptable to change than others but most people seem to like routines.  In this post I'm including a few simple steps you can take to help yourself and your team members become more adaptable to change in the workplace.


1.  Change normal routines such as the time of your staff meeting, what time you come in the office, when you respond to emails and voicemails, taking the stairs instead of the elevators.  Some people have such defined routines they know exactly what they are having for lunch each day.  
2.  Have a team contest and have each person volunteer what they did different in the past week during the staff meeting.  Have a prize for whoever is voted the "Greatest Change Initiator."
3.  Take a different route to work - use different streets.
4.  Park in a different location.  
5.  Celebrate team successes in adapting to change.
6.  Openly discuss how change feels and why we resist it. 
7.  Find some great change quotes and post them within your work area.  Better yet, encourage your team to find some good quotes and put them up to help inspire the team.  
8.  Have a frank discussion regarding what things could change in your department to make you even better.  This will get people thinking of the positive influence of change.  
9.  Discuss times in history where a change effort made a significant positive influence on our history.  
10.  I love the quote by Gandi - "Be the Change You want to see in the World." It starts with you, the leader.  Be the change you want to see in your team.  Get that accomplished and then you can take on the world : ).


Mari

Leadership is a Journey

Although this blog and many others like it are full of information regarding how to be a better leader, the reality is, leadership is a journey.  Like life, your leadership experience will be your journey, uniquely yours and it will not mirror anyone else.  You can read tips and tools that may help you along your journey (much like a map) but this is your journey, your experience, and it's your responsibility to learn and grow, and experience your unique journey.  

This may sound cliche but in a way it gives you a bit of freedom to explore and experience in the way that works best for you.  

If you are a new leader, you are just beginning your journey.  If you have managed the same 10 people for the past 15 years, you are in a different place than the person with 15 years experience that has dealt with acquisitions, buy outs, turnover, and complicated employee issues.  Regardless of where you are on the journey, there is opportunity to learn, grow, and be a better leader.  To a certain extent you get to pick the side roads and how fast your car goes on your journey.  You probably don't get to pick the random animals that run across the street (i.e. obstacles) and car trouble you may endure.  

Each day, as you arise, remember, this is your leadership journey, and journey unique to your life and experiences.  And do your best to enjoy the journey.  

Inspirational Quotes on Change

When it comes to dealing with change, it is really more the rule these days than the exception.  Yet, people still struggle with change.  We are human after all - we like to know what to expect.  Change shakes things up and consequently often shakes us up in the process.  Here are a few quotes I like that might help you through your own personal and professional changes.  

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.

John F. Kennedy

This explains change in the workplace: 
“All great changes are preceded by chaos.” -Deepak Chopra

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.

Maya Angelou

Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” –Jim Rohn

We can change our lives. We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish.

Tony Robbins

And my personal favorite . . . .

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.

Mahatma Gandhi

Some Important Thoughts on the Importance of Communication

Bad human communication leaves us less room to grow.

- Rowan D. Williams

“Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say infinitely when you mean very; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.” 
― C.S. Lewis

“Constantly talking isn't necessarily communicating.” 

― Charlie Kaufman

“Stephen Covey, in his book The 8th Habit, decribes a poll of 23,000 employees drawn from a number of companies and industries. He reports the poll's findings: 


* Only 37 percent said they have a clear understanding of what their organization is trying to achieve and why 
* Only one in five was enthusiastic about their team's and their organization's goals
* Only one in five said they had a clear "line of sight" between their tasks and their team's and organization's goals 
* Only 15 percent felt that their organization fully enables them to execute key goals 
* Only 20 percent fully trusted the organization they work for 


Then, Covey superimposes a very human metaphor over the statistics. He says, "If, say, a soccer team had these same scores, only 4 of the 11 players on the field would know which goal is theirs. Only 2 of the 11 would care. Only 2 of the 11 would know what position they play and know exactly what they are supposed to do. And all but 2 players would, in some way, be competing against their own team members rather than the opponent.” 
― Chip Heath, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Some Quotes For You Leaders

Today is Good Friday, a holiday weekend, and the last weekend I get to spend with my daughter before she moves to Hawaii.  I know given the circumstances, my readers will give me grace for any lack of creativity and brevity that may occur over the next week.  Today, I give you all inspirational quotes that are as much for me as for each of you.


Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another." - Walter Elliott


He who gains a victory over other men is strong; but he who gains a victory over himself is all powerful. - Lao Tzu


It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. - Albert Einstein

Have a wonderful Easter weekend with your families!

Mari

Is Your Idea of Motivation a Strong "Drop & Give Me 20!?"

I have to admit I have a tendency to see the best in others.  I like to believe that everyone is doing the best they can with what they know and believe.  That being said, "I've heard some very strange arguments regarding how to motivate employees."  Beyond the heading of "Drop and Give Me 20," here are just a few:

• "Why should I have to motivate them.  Nobody has to motivate me."
• "I'll show them motivation.  Does "Your fired" motivate you enough?"
• "I told them how much I appreciated them during their performance review.  How many times do I have to tell them anyway?"
• "Money is the only way to motivate my people and since my company won't let me give them more money, my hands are tied."
• "Motivate the team?  Are you kidding?  I'm too busy for that."
• "I don't have a budget for that.  Not happening."

If you gave me one of these responses and I were your HR person, it would take all my self control to not look at you quizzically and ask how you made it to a leadership role.  Being the professional I am however, and wanting to see the best in people I would come to the conclusion that you didn't know these were lame excuses.


Let me give you a bit of a news flash.  Here are a few things that are NOT motivating.

• Trying to control people who are grown ups (paying their own bills, making their own decisions). Unless you work for the US Military, this is not the way we generally treat free Americans.
• Micro-managing those that don't deserve it (it's okay to micro-manage low performers for a defined amount of time.
• Threats
• Belittling and Condescending tones (i.e. acting like you know it all).
• An unhappy and boring workplace.
• A workplace filled with gossip and political games.
• Telling your employees "good job" once a year.
• A boss that is too busy or uninterested in his/her employees to know or care about them.  
• Working for someone who obviously doesn't like their job or employer.
• Throwing money at all the aforementioned problems.

Motivating your team is not about time or money.  There are so many ways to motivate people. A kind word.  A project they are inspired by.  Having the opportunity to work with someone they respect.  Flexible schedules.  Showing that you care.  Asking about the family.  Creating a development plan.  Telling them the vision you have for them.  Tapping into a hidden talent.  Telecommuting.  Noticing when they seem to be having a bad day.  Encouragement.  Confidence in their success.  None of these cost money.  

And the bottom line . . . . if you are a leader, it's your responsibility.  

Work Doesn't Have to Be So Serious - Have You Laughed Today?

Yes, I know business is serious business (hah, get it?).  You have metrics to make, quotas to hit, competitors gobbling up your profit share, and the economy is wreaking havoc on all of it.  I know it's serious.  And I know your job is tough, stressful, and demanding.  But if you can't laugh during the day at something I have to ask, "What's the point in working so hard if you can't find time to enjoy yourself just a little bit?"  If you can't find any joy in what you do each day, why on earth would you continue to do it.  

I ask this question for two reasons.  The first is for you but then I have to also wonder if you are a "fun hater" at work.  Are your employees afraid to laugh when you are in the office?  Do you think if they are laughing then they can't possibly be working?  Seriously, are you a "fun hater?"  


Just because it's "work" doesn't have to mean you can't have fun.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating everyone put a clown suit or become stand up comedians at work (although that might be interesting).  I love it when both of my children are in the house visiting.  I love it because there is so much joy and laughter.  I can't wait to get home and not only because I want to see my kids but because being around that much happiness makes me happy.  


What if we could feel that way at work?  What if there was so much joy and laughter that it didn't even feel like work.  I have worked in intensive care units where doctors and nurses knew how to laugh in spite of the seriousness that revolved around them.  If people that care for the sick and dying know how to have fun at work, I can guess a lot of you don't have very good excuses for why you can't loosen up a little.  Did you know  laughter is a great stress reliever and has also been shown to heal.  Here is a great article regarding the amazing power of laughter.


http://www.nutritionresearchcenter.org/healthnews/can-laughing-your-ass-off-heal-you/


If laughter has the same physiological effect as exercise, it means we will thing more clearly, problem solve more effectively, have sharper mental clarity, and be more productive.  Hmmm, I'm thinking more laughter in he work place might be a good thing.  


Have you laughed today?