Mom’s Wisdom about Change Management

My mom is one of the few people I know who have elegantly adapted to change. Over 40 years ago, she married a man — my dad — whom she had known briefly. She moved from India to the United States to be with them shortly after their marriage. From India to California, and all of the interesting stops my parents have made between the West and East, I certainly believe my mom has the credentials to be a change management expert!

It wasn’t surprising when she conveyed the following wisdom to me about change: “Change is always hard, but soon it becomes the past”. The simplicity and veracity of this point is remarkable. When we think about change in our personal or professional lives, we think about future impacts. These impacts can be tangible, such as logistically moving from an enclosed cube to an open workspace. These impacts can also be intangible, such as the attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions associated with moving from an enclosed cube to an open workspace.

After everyone starts using the open workspace, this change becomes a part of history. Over time, it may even become an organizational best practice in transparency and collaboration. This best practice may be subject to change for various reasons outside of the control of key stakeholders. Change is one of the primary ways to drive continual improvement, personally and professionally.

This is what I learned from my mom today. As an immigrant the U.S. in the early 1970s, she accepted and embraced the continually mutable nature of change, realizing each component of it would be a part of history that would personally and professionally shape her into the awesome person she is today. Thanks, Mom!