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with Points to Ponder 
  March 2010                                                                                       Newsletter #17
                                                                                                                                                      
The Only Constant is Change
(Part 1)

                                                                                                            

Recently I was speaking with the office manager of a midsized company who was struggling to get her staff to be more creative. She wanted to get her staff to start thinking out of the box but didn't know where to begin.   She described how she would model changing she wanted to see in their behavior, provide training to increase their options, however, these steps didn't show how to actually address changing their minds.  She needed concrete strategies to change her own thinking so she could suggest them for her staff.   In our discussions three strategies emerged that created the results she was looking for, and maybe useful for you.

 

#1.  Develop a tolerance for change.  All change creates discomfort.  The bigger the change, the more likely you will notice the discomfort.  Develop a tolerance to small changes. The more you become accustom to changing, the better you tend to accept it.  The more comfortable you are with the change, the easier you'll embrace it.  Once accustom to changing small things, you can begin to increase your tolerance by engaging in larger changes.  Consider making small changes in your external environment first.  Since changing your environment is far easier than changing your mind.  Start with small external changes by considering altering your routines.  Often we follow routines without even realizing we are doing them. Changing not only builds tolerance, it also increases our awareness.

 

Most highly effective changes occur in small increments over time.   The weight I gained didn't happen this week.  It happened over time, until suddenly I realized it was there!  Small changes over time can create a major difference.  If change occurs too fast, we tend to rebel. Try to commit to staying with the change for at least four weeks before considering putting things back or rearranging again.   

 

#2.  Advise before you revise.  Before making changes, let those who will be impacted by the changes know about the changes to occur.  Advance notice alerts you to what is going to happen and gets you ready for it.  No one likes to be alarmed.  Alarms frighten people.  When we are frightened we shut down. Let those interested assist you in making them.  Inviting others to take part in the change lessens the reaction to the proposed changes and allows for others to buy in. This is true not only at work, but also at home.

 

#3.  If you ask for help, accept it.  Nothing shuts down input faster than asking for it, then ignoring or rejecting it.  If you are not going to seriously consider others input, don't ask.  Asking for ideas, help, or input and ignoring it is like buying noodles for your lasagna and not including them.  Everybody quickly knows that something important is missing!

 

At home consider making small changes by rearranging some aspects of your kitchen, living room, or bedroom.  If you live with someone ask for their help and suggestions on how it could be done.  Changes don't need to be major.  Remember you are working to develop tolerance, not create chaos.  Start small and work your way up to larger changes.  At work, visit other work areas to see what others have done.  Rearranging things on your desk, the furniture in your office, enlist others help in rearranging seating for meetings or in common sitting and meeting areas.  By bringing others in you involve them as part of the change.  This provides them ownership and a sense of control of their surroundings.  This relaxes our senses, allowing the idea of improvement through periodic change to begin to positively  infect those around you.  Make sure the change is positive and worth catching!

 

Change takes getting use to.  The toughest change however, will be changing your mind.  Look for that in our next newsletter.

 

Be well!

 

John

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