Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable...CHANGE!

Better Safe Than Sorry

 - OR - 

Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained

Where do you align with these two philosophies? 

Certainly this can be situational and in all honesty, that is probably the smartest way to consider your alignment.  However, we all know that change is really our only constant in life, yet most would say that it creates much unrest for us.  Most of us would admit to not liking change, yet we don't want to stay the same.  So how do we develop our mindset to see change as an opportunity for growth...an opportunity to build trust with others, an opportunity to work through conflict, an opportunity to invest in and commit to the work, an opportunity to hold ourselves and others accountable and ultimately, an opportunity to achieve the desired results?


Think about how one or all three of these strategies may help you and/or others become comfortable with the uncomfortable...Change!

1. Be Prepared
While change is uncomfortable, we tend to feel better about any change when we are prepared.  The key to preparation is ownership.  We must own our preparedness.  This means we must remove ourselves from the mindset of, "Nobody told me or I wasn't invited to that meeting..."   We must believe in positive intentions and know that if we were left out of the conversation or communication, it's only because change can happen quickly.   Get involved, cultivate your communication skills and strengths, and start talking with and learning from those who are directly involved in the change.     


2. Listen to Self and Others
Listen to understand while also taking the time to reflect and ask questions to gain understanding and clarity.  If change is going to be effective, we must have a platform to listen and learn from others, while ensuring our voice is heard and validated.  Trust is the foundation of any team and will grow when we feel emotionally safe during these conversations.  Even if your idea is not incorporated into the plan, it's important that you were heard.  Listen to understand, reflect and be vulnerable.  Working through change is truly about building your own self-awareness and emotional intelligence.  Work to better understand the feelings of others by getting in touch with your own emotional intelligence.


3. Commit to Doing the Work
Get on board and be a part of the Change!
We know that change is happening and will continue to happen and while we may not be able to control the change, we can control our attitudes and behaviors.  It's all about controlling our mindset, reframing our responses, and committing to the work.  Stay the course, assume positive intent, and remember that we are all on the same team.