Change is good - 4 Tips for Succeeding Through Org Change
Today I want to talk about change.
If you ever worked at a startup with 30+ people for more than a year, you experienced it firsthand.
Call it whatever you want: Change. Reorg. New direction.
For my, in the last 7-8 years and across 3 different companies it happened more than 10 times, more than once a year on average:
- Layoffs
- New KPI's (completely different from the ones set only a few months ago)
- New team arrangements
- New sitting arrangements
In a matter of minutes, a project that was on highest priority stops. The feature you were working on so hard? Well, nobody cares anymore.
Naturally, people don't like change, and companies have a hard time "selling" those changes to their people.
It's "Who moved my cheese?" all over again.
Below I want to share 4 thoughts on how to better handle those situations and most importantly what to learn from them.
1. At least someone is doing something
Lately, my first reaction to the announce change is gratitude?
Why?
I am grateful to work at a place where the people in charge are monitoring what's happening, identify things that don't work and are trying to do something about it.
Sounds cheesy? It might.
If you ever worked in an organization where nothing ever changes, you will understand this point very well.
Which brings me to the next thought.
2. They have no idea what they are doing
I once interned at a small startup which grew very rapidly.
A few years later, the ones who interned with me were holding key positions.
But it was also the first time they were dealing with the problems of this magnitude.
Your managers, VPs, directors are may be very experienced and know exactly what to do and how to handle every situation.
Others don't. And it's ok. They need to get the experience from somewhere.
So embrace the thought that the change might not work and they will change course again (as per point #1).
Cut them some slack (as per point #1).
Which brings me to the next point.
3. It's a gamble
Even if the management knows exactly what they are doing or have been in similar situations before:
The change is still a gamble. There are just too many unknowns in any situation.
But this should not discourage you.
The opposite.
It's up to you to do everything in your power to improve the chances of winning.
- Stop complaining
- Embrace the change
- Support it (because of point #1 and #2)
- Give constructive feedback
4. Be your own CEO
When is the last time you changed something about your life or your career?
What are the things that you wish were different?
Apply the same principles above to your life and career.
See yourself as a CEO of your one person enterprise.
- Do something about things that you want to change
- You don't have all the answers - try your best
- Do the best you can to up your chances
That's it for today