Thriving Through Change At Work. Leading Yourself And Others Through Change.

By Pilar Orti

Have you ever been in a position at work where a new manager has come into post and everything has changed? Has a work policy meant that your usual methods of working have to change?

Change in the workplace may be highly stressful if not handled correctly. This concise guide enables you to understand why you react the way you do and will help you to examine your motivations, break down your internal barriers and ultimately embrace change in a positive way. The second edition also includes material to help you if you are in a management or leadership position in an organisation.

Resisting change is likely to result in additional negative reactions within. Not allowing yourself to move forward when such changes are work-related may also result in a loss in productivity.

Pilar Orti helps you to break down the problem, identify why you and others resist change the way and how this affects you both mentally and even physically. Pilar focuses on the positive, on learning from your previous mistakes and propelling yourself forward in a more confident and positive way.

This is an enjoyable and enlightening book which focuses on a holistic approach to effectively managing change at work.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pilar Orti
• Release date: Dec 10, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301602957

Pilar Orti

A love of theatre, performing, writing, being in the front seat, researching, working with people and nurturing others' talents drives everything I do.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

Everyone reacts differently to change. Some people welcome it, especially when they feel like they are involved in the change process or have some control over the outcome; others have real difficulty dealing with change in their professional lives, as they are already dealing with change in their personal one. Some of us learn more slowly than others and therefore prefer to tackle one change at a time. Others find learning thrilling and can't wait to get on with it.

The problem with undergoing change at work is that we are expected to change quickly and happily while continuing to perform at a high level. While systems and communications attempt to steer the whole organisation in a new direction, the individual often receives little attention.

Maybe as adults we are supposed to know how to deal with change. Then again, maybe we are not used to adapting at a fast pace, under the spotlight and under the impression that we have little to contribute to the decision to change or the change process.

If I can make one suggestion about your transition through the change process, it is that you make sure you pause every now and then, especially when you feel like time is running away and you need to just go on and on and on and on. Even if you feel like you are on a roll, when things are beginning to happen for you, don't forget to pause and look around you. Make sure you are in tune with what the rest of your team or organisation is doing or you might find that this happy road you’re going down is taking you to the wrong destination.

If you feel like you are struggling uphill, if you feel like you have no time to get everything done, you still need to stop. You might not be prioritising the most important work, you might be duplicating what others are doing or you might, quite simply, be in danger of wearing yourself out.

Change at work is complicated. Not only do you have to navigate through it yourself but you need to work with other people undergoing change themselves. A double challenge. It gets even more challenging for managers, who in many cases end up being change agents themselves, not necessarily out of choice.

This short book aims to help you make your transitions as fruitful and painless as possible for you and your team. If you are already enjoying change and getting the most out of it, it will help you to understand why not everyone sees change as an opportunity for growth. You might be helping others through personal change at work, or you might be working closely with your team. In any case, my aim is to keep you healthy and creative during your transition and give you some insight into behaviours different to your own.

Healthy and Creative

Whether you are enjoying the change process or not, your body and mind will be undergoing stress. As you adapt to change, your senses are heightened and you are in a state of permanent alert. Even if you are not worried, even if you don't feel stressed, chances are that your body is reacting to new experiences as if they were potential threats. It is precisely during this period that you will need to pay extra attention to your health.

Remaining creative during times of change is also crucial in order to anticipate obstacles, identify new opportunities when they present themselves and to solve those problems (however large or small) you encounter. Creativity is crucial to ensure that you learn from your mistakes and your successes, to draw inspiration from different sources and to see how you fit into the wider picture.

Thriving through Change

As this title suggests, change presents an opportunity to grow, but this is difficult when we find ourselves dealing with uncertainty. I hope that by reading this book, you will be able to reduce some of the discomfort that change will bring to you and your team members.

The first chapter aims