Tips for Successfully Managing Change in Our Fast Paced World by Cindy Stradling CSP, CPC

In business, as in life, change can be an unsettling, but necessary, fact. In a world where change can come quickly, and where your reaction must be quick, as well, knowing in advance how you will handle upcoming change can help you to make the best possible decisions for your business. Answering the following three questions can help you prepare to manage any change you’re facing.

1. How do you react to change in general? Do you fear change or embrace it? If you fear change, it is important to recognize this in yourself so that you can be emotionally prepared to deal with changes when these happen. It is important to ask yourself why you fear change. In most cases, fear of change is the result of some major life change in the past that had negative consequences. Spend some time evaluating the emotions behind your fears so that you can work to eliminate any irrational fear that hold you back. Conversely, if you embrace change too readily, it’s important to ensure that you take the proper measures to think changes through before you act.
2. What steps will you take before making decisions regarding the coming changes? It’s important to know what steps you need to take to make yourself personally comfortable. Do you need time to think? Do you feel more comfortable if you can seek the counsel of others first?
3. How will you evaluate the change? Each time change happens that affects your business, it is important to evaluate the impact, and make corrections as needed. For example, if you are losing a valuable employee, you must first seek a replacement for that employee. Then, after the fact, you must evaluate the new employee’s training and performance to ensure that nothing is slipping through the cracks. This post change evaluation is critical because it has the most impact on how the overall change will affect your business.

Change can be scary. As a leader, you have the opportunity to face change head on and minimize any negative impact that might come from it, or ensure that the change has a positive overall effect. To do this, it is critical to be prepared for change by understanding your personal reaction to it and by having a plan to ensure that the impact on your business is positive in the end.