You've probably all heard that saying, that change is the only constant, and many of you would also have read books like "Who Moved my Cheese".
Despite know that change will happen and is happening it is, however, still challenging to deal with change and to remain positive despite difficult circumstances. But it is possible as our very own Dr. Sharp, Founder of The Happiness Institute, Professor of Positive Psychology at UTS Business School, and one of Australia's leaders in the application of positive psychology writes below...
Coping Positively With Change
by Dr. Sharp
I have, in recent weeks, had several conversations with organisations looking for help to remain positive despite difficult circumstances.
But whether it's the current economic difficulties, or the challenge of finding staff in an environment of low unemployment, or even the difficulties facing those flourishing organisations undergoing rapid growth, long-term success will come to those who courageously face and actively manage change positively.
I mean how many of your organisations are not going through change? If it's something that's happening then we really have no choice but to deal with it...and if we're going to deal with it we might as well try to deal with it as positively and constructively as possible.
This is where my Positive Change Model can be very helpful (see image above and to right).
Developed after almost two decades of research and practical experience, this model invites those wanting to positively manage change to approach the challenge as a complex one involving two dimensions and three layers. In simple terms, we can make change positive by looking at it at an individual level, interpersonal level and finally, taking into account the context in which these people operate and work. Within this, one also needs to take into account issues of skill versus will by which I mean we need to differentiate between goals that can be achieved via learning and skills acquisition on the one hand, and those that require more psychological and motivational input.
Because these email PEP-ups are designed to be short I'll leave it here for now but to conclude, change can and should be approached as an opportunity for improvement. This might sound slightly cliched but the reality is that this model for positive change is based on decades of research and has been applied in numerous settings and, quite simply, it works.
So if you and/or your organisation is facing change right now then don't be afraid to face the cold, hard realities...but face them in a positive way because if you do you'll not just increase your chances of achieving a better outcome but you'll also increase your chances of enjoying the process along the way.
Looking for true career fulfilment and happiness with a well balanced approach to work and play? Our business coaches operate their own coaching practice under The Happiness Institute business services franchise banner. They are solution focused people who value relationships, who provide outstanding customer service, who love creating change and helping people and organsiations to flourish.8-Sep-2008