Know Why You Are There?
Praesta Coach Dr. Peter Shaw offers this important insight into handling rapid change at work (and in life)
When you are clear why you are in a particular situation you can bring clarity and confidence to your role and contribution.
The idea The secret to making a success of any role is to be clear why you are there. Without clarity you can be mesmerised by uncertainty and lack the decisiveness necessary to make a success of what you are there to do. You may have volunteered to be in a role where you are handling rapid change, or circumstances outside your control have meant that responsibilities have been placed on you that you have neither sought nor expected.
To develop the right frame of mind you need an internal rationale about why you are there. Such a rationale provides the basis on which you can feel confident in your approach. Your rationale might be based on a positive decision to be in the role because of opportunities it afforded you. Or the internal rationale might be an acceptance that handling rapid change is now part of a job, even though this level of change was not anticipated when you took on the assignment.
It is well worth standing back, being explicit with yourself about why you are in a particular role and deciding the frame of mind you want to bring in addressing the responsibilities placed upon you. Knowing what will give you confidence and encouragement in carrying out these responsibilities is key to your feeling and believing you are making a worthwhile contribution.
Alex was an operations manager in a hospital. She was taken by surprise when a decision was made to merge two departments, with her being asked to lead the transition arrangements. Initially, Alex felt a mixture of reactions, including resentment and apprehension. She was disappointed that much of what she had previously been working on was going to be subsumed into a bigger operation. She felt anxious about whether she would be able to cope with uncertainties created by the planned reorganisation.
Alex recognised that it was crucial that she developed a positive frame of mind. She needed to move on from the initial resentment in order to bring a positive approach. She worked hard to understand the rationale for the change. She developed an internal narrative about the opportunities afforded by the reorganisation. As she talked through this rationale with others she became convinced that there were considerable merits in the reorganisation plan. At that point her confidence level in leading the change took a step upwards.
In practice:
- Be honest about your current frame of mind in leading or handling rapid change.
- Think through your internal rationale for why you are in this particular role.
- Recognise the self-talk needed to get your confidence to a level that will enable you to address your anxieties.
- Share with others your rationale about why you are in the role.
