Tips for Positively Coping with Change

“The head teacher in the four year old room quit after ten years of teaching at Happy Days Nursery School, and was replaced by a new teacher. The rest of the teachers were upset that they were not considered for promotion, and were threatened by the new teacher who arrived with lots of enthusiasm and new ideas.” This is an example of a typical leadership challenge that Lorraine Schrag, Elyssa Nelson, and Tedi Siminowsky write about in “Helping Employees Cope With Change,” part of the Exchange Essentials article collection, “Leadership Challenges.”

And in a Linked In article by Ban Weston, “Ten Tips for Positively Dealing with Change in Your Workplace,” the author offers ideas such as:

1. Acknowledge the change. The most important thing to do when change is happening in the workplace is to acknowledge it. Recognising and accepting change is one of the first steps towards managing it.
2. Face your fears. Writing down these fears in an objective form can stop you dwelling on them. Go through each fear and write down what you would do if that fear came to pass. Knowing you have a plan can really help to defuse the emotional anxiety.
3. Confront your feelings and seek support…
4. Stop the fearful thoughts and replace them with something positive…
5. Be flexible and embracing of change. Instead of hiding from your fear and creating a barrier, be open and flexible to new challenges and tasks…
6. Be part of the change. Adopt an attitude of anticipation and excitement. See change as an opportunity…
7. Communication, communication and more communication…make it your business to be proactive in finding out more about what the change involves…Be aware that sometimes when talking to co-works news can be distorted and not always factual.
8. Reduce stress and anxiety. In times of stress, we may feel tired and this is the time when we need to focus on being strong, fit, healthy and resilient…
9. Have a sense of meaning. Take time to take stock of how valuable you are to the organisation. Acknowledge your successes and the skills and attributes that you offer the organisation…
10. Continue to do your work and see the big picture…with the right attitude, outlook and actions, you can find opportunities in change."

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-tips-dealing-change-positively-your-workplace-ban-weston/

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