Five steps to owning change at work

Introduction

Hello,

When we created this guide we played with many titles: How to change, How to do change, How to move through change, How to be change. But what was this really about? Owning change. Because we are moving through change all the time, we need to feel we own it. Sometimes the dial is turned all the way up, sometimes the dial is simmering

That is why it's a circular process. We never get to the end. I hope that doesn't seem gloomy. I hope it makes you feel better. Because wherever you are right now, whatever is going on for you, it's about making it work for you, owning change so that you are ok

We work through five steps to slow down your thinking, to help you to see things amongst the change fog, to get you thinking about things in a new way.

Think of the steps as dials that you can turn up and down when you need to. These are times when you might need to process more and times when you might want to dial up, exploring and ideas. Think of this as your change story, and your change dashboard. You have control of the dials at all times.

To get the most out of this experience, get a fresh notebook and scribble everything in it. Questions, ideas, feelings, things you liked, things you didn't.  If you get stuck at any time please drop us a note. Thank you for your curiosity.

Enjoy and may the change be with you!

Eleanor

STEP 1: Ackknowledge

It’s ok to feel many different emotions during times of change

Acknowledging the scale of change, through your lens is important. What might not be a big deal for one person is huge for another, there is not just one changeometer.

Let’s get rid of the judgement and clear the space. Change comes to us in all shapes and sizes, and we all handle it, move through it, in our own way.

It’s ok to feel di erent emotions during times of change. The only way to create strong foundations for change is to tune in to where you are, what’s going on for you, and give yourself the right support you need. You’ll have good days, bad days, nope days. This is about helping yourself through every day.

What does your curve ball curve look like right now?

Curve Ball Curve

How are you feeling? It’s ok to feel a lot of di erent emotions

I’M HOPEFUL

I’M FEELING BETTER

I’M ANGRY

I’M WORRIED

I’M ANXIOUS

I’M EXCITED I’M BLANK

I’M FEELING OKAY

I’M CONFIDENT

I’M CONFUSED

I’M SAD

Once we are able to pause for a moment and acknowledge where we are, we can step into acceptance, and start to move slowly through

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Change is happening, but what is changing? Being aware of what is changing and the impact on you helps you to understand the scale of change and therefore how to move forward. Let’s explore this. What caused the change for you?

Why is a door closing for you?

You must change - It's not your decision, someone else decided

You need to change – It is your decision, circumstances mean you need to

You want to change – It is your decision; you want something new

2 - What is the scale of change?

It’s easy to think all change is stressful and should be avoided at all costs. However, change happens every day, and it’s the scale of the change for you that can influence how you move through it. What is the scale of the change? You might not know right now but it will help to consider this as you move forward.

Are you directly impacted?

Are the people around you impacted?

Is it your role, your team, your manager?

Is it the way things work, systems, processes, getting things done?

Is it location, hours, how things work?

Write down what is the scale of change from 1 – 10 where

Nothing changes for you personally

A fundamental change to your work

Consider why did you chose that number? Acknowledge where change is and what it looks like for you right now.

change happens every day but it’s the scale of the change for you that can influence how you move through it

During times of change we start to live in the ‘What if?’ Sometimes we live so much in the land of What if that it feels very real for us.

What if I don’t like the changes? What if I can’t do the new job? What if I lose my job?

Our internal talk can waste energy on things that we have no control over. It’s important to give yourself space, and store energy for things that really matter and impact you.

What are you telling yourself? Notice the words you are using in your thoughts, notice the story, notice the questions. Start to flip fixed mindset thoughts into growth mindset thoughts.

GROWTH MINDSET FIXED MINDSET

I CAN LEARN ANYTHING I WANT TO. WHEN I’M FRUSTRATED, I PERSEVERE. I WANT TO CHALLENGE MYSELF.

WHEN I FAIL, I LEARN. TELL ME I TRY HARD.

IF YOU SUCCEED, I’M INSPIRED MY EFFORT AND ATTITUDE DETERMINE EVERYTHING.

CREATE THE RIGHT MINDSET TO GET YOU THERE GROWTH VS FIXED MINDSET

I’M EITHER GOOD AT IT, OR I’M NOT. WHEN I’M FRUSTRATED, I GIVE UP. I DON’T LIKE TO BE CHALLENGED.

WHEN I FAIL, I’M NO GOOD. TELL ME I’M SMART.

IF YOU SUCCEED, I FEEL THREATENED. MY ABILITIES DETERMINE EVERYTHING.

Your mindset matters

In Carol Dweck's book Mindset she talks about Fixed and Growth mindset.

A fixed mindset: in this mindset, people believe that their intelligence is fixed and static.

A growth mindset: in this mindset, people believe that intelligence and talents can be improved through e ort and learning.

- What is on your mind?

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STEP 2: OBSERVE

TAKE TIME TO OBSERVE HOW YOU (and OTHERS ARE RESPONDING

In this step we observe how we respond, how we react and what is going on around us.  Being more aware of your reaction to change can be a game changer. When you feel an energy shift, or a surge in your reaction, try to tune in to what is going on.

What exactly is making you feel that way?

We can take ownership of how we respond to change, but it can take some work! More often than not we respond on autopilot, barely thinking about our reactions, helpful or not. We just respond!

3 Questions

1 - What is your position?

Having looked at the curve ball curve in step 1, we will now look at where you are on the Change Mountain.

Your position will change as you work through the situation. Opportunity is on the other side of the hill…

As you move through change, your position can change. While you may have experienced resistance at the beginning, you can be more open to a new way of thinking, a new perspective, decide how you want to experience change. Being aware of your position will help you to know where to put your energy.

What is your position on the mountain? Can you see opportunity?

CURIOSITY

HOPE WORTHLESS WORRY RESISTANCE QUESTIONS

WORTH IT WORRY

POSSIBILITY

2 - How are you reacting to change?

As we work through this experience, it's all about getting to know yourself better. So often we don’t take time to understand ourselves. We live in the space of 'that's just me' without challenging it. We can work on this and in doing so give ourselves a di erent outlook, a di erent way to live.

How are you reacting to change?

What are you noticing about yourself?

What would you like to change?

At the end of a day ask yourself how you saw yourself today. Write down 3 things you were, and then 3 things you want to be. After doing this for 3 weeks it will really start its magic.

Examples

I was cross today because we were late for school

I was kind today when my colleague wanted someone to talk to

I was tired today because it’s been a long week

I was disappointed today because I'm not being listened to

After 7 days of tuning into yourself in this way at the end of the day, start to write down each morning who you want to be.

Today I'm going to be patient and open

Today I'm going to listen

Today I'll remember to put the rubbish out and be pleased with myself.

3 - What do you control?

We all have things in our work (and in life) that challenge us. Some things are more under our control than others. When we are going through times of change it can feel like we don’t have much control. But let’s challenge that.

In Stephen Covey’s book ‘The 7 Habits of Highly E ective People’ he describes the Circle of Influence and Control. The Circle of Concern includes all the challenges you have in your work and in your life. The task is to identify which are inside and which are outside of your Circle of Control.

Circle of Control

Write down everything that is going on for you right now. Which belong in which circle?

Circle of Influence

Circle of Concern

Being ok with being uncomfortable

This challenge of control and influence, also leads us to think di erently about comfort. Comfort is not always the best place to be. Our comfort zone may keep us feeling safe, but it might also be holding us back.

Notice whether you are staying in your comfort zone.

How can you help yourself step out into the area of stretch?

Uncomfortable - Stress

Uncomfortable - Stretch Comfort

Anything that takes us out of our comfort zones for a while can act as a reminder that the past we are used to may not be our best future�- Charles B. Handy

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STEP 3: PROCESS

WORK THROUGH WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU

During times of change we don't give ourselves enough time to process and understand what is happening. We are often in the “DO” mode, and “DO” does not like much down time, thinking time.  The challenge is to find time to just “BE”.

Time doing nothing can often be time well spent. To allow your thoughts to ramble, without distraction, begin the process of understanding what this really means.

What does it really mean for you?

What is the true impact of change?

In this step we give ourselves time to process.

3 Questions

1 - What have you noticed?

In times of change it's important to be aware whether you are on the pitch or watching from the side Both positions have valuable learning potentially. Whether you are amongst the action or listening and observing. If you find yourself too close to the action it's worth trying to step out and observe for a while.

What is really going on?

Listening  - You learn where you are, the reality of what is happening, and even what you need to do, so much faster when you observe and listen to others. Not listening to respond but listening to understand. How much listening are you doing?

Observing - Observing others, understanding what is happening around you also helps you to understand your own position.  In Matthew Barzun's book 'The power of giving away power' he talks about how you show up, especially during times of change. Matthew shares the example of how you show up to a meeting. 'Do you show up to win, or do you show up to collaborate?'. The next time you are in a meeting, tune in to your motivations, what you want and what you actually need.

Look around you – what do you see?

How are your colleagues?

What are the leaders doing?

What is causing pressure?

What is going well?

What is being missed?

What are you learning?

What are you noticing?

2 - What is going on around you?

So you have observed what is really going on, now let's capture what other factors are in play. External factors can have a big influence on how you process change.

The things on your mind are not just what's going on at work. Are you aware of how much thought work is taking up, just what else is going on? If you were to draw a pie chart of what's on your mind what would be on it? So many things can be influencing our thinking.

Family and friends, relationships, home, community

Money, debt, bills, out goings, savings, investments

Politics, media, news, social media

Health, illness, care, fitness

Cause, values, beliefs, social justice, environment

The change you are experiencing at work can be influenced by so many other things. It's worth paying attention to what you are prioritising, if this is what you want to be doing, if you are doing things intentionally understanding the full impact and consequences.

What would your ideal pie chart look like?

How di erent does it look to where you are at right now?

WEALTH & FINANCE YOU

HEALTH & WELLBEING SELF GROWTH & LEARNING

SPIRITUALITY, COMMUNITY, RECREATION

CAREER & WORK ENVIRONMENT & LOCATION

FAMILY, FRIENDS, RELATIONSHIPS

And for others around you. What is going on for them?  What's going on for your team, your family, your manager, your customers, your suppliers. We are all connected and during times of change connections can greatly influence how we are handling change. Ask yourself how can you help others.

3 - Where is your energy?

Your pie chart from the last exercise might help you with this one. Today we are tapping into your energy. Where you are focusing your energy, the energy you are giving out, the energy you are receiving.

The use of our energy is important. We can be guilty of leaking energy on things that don't matter, especially in times of uncertainty and change.

Are you leaking energy? Wasting time on things that don't matter.

What is winding you up? Notice the things that getting you grumpy, getting you cross.

What is giving you energy? Notice the things that you look forward to, the things giving you joy.

Where you spend your energy is within your control. You can dial down your energy consumption to create more space to process. Sometimes we dial up our energy consumption, we say we are too busy to think that reflection is a luxury and we spend energy on things that don't serve us.

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STEP 4: EXPLORE

GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSion TO THINK THAT CHANGE HAS OPPORTUNITY

Change at work could mean exciting opportunities. When you go exploring you start with a blank canvas, no expectations, no preconceived ideas. You have to be prepared to do things you wouldn't usually do. You need an open mind at all times.

The next meeting you go into, you go there with a curious mindset, ready to hear things you've not heard before, ready to see things you haven't seen before.

3 Questions

1 - Why do you do what you do?

How much thought have you ever given to why you do what you do? When did you last stop and think about it. Often times of change are the best moments to do this and may help us see opportunity.

First question - what do you do?

How do you describe what you do? Is it a profession? A skill? A task? A mission?

Did you start o to do what you now do? Was it always your goal?

Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation and we aren't sure how we got there. Have you ever had that moment where someone asks you what you do, and then how you got into it, and you have no idea how to answer?

We make decisions in life sometimes unconsciously. We consider half the story and we make our decision and move on. We are ok, we have enough to get by, we glide. Or we just went with the flow when opportunities came our way.

How conscious and intentional have you been with your career decisions to date?

your Ikigai

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means 'a reason for being'. Ikigai can help you to understand why you do what you do right now. Are you doing what you are doing because:

You love it

You are good at it

You believe the World needs it

You get paid / rewarded

Ikigai is where all of above is fulfilled. You are doing something you love, you are good at it, you get paid /  rewarded and the World needs it.

I LOVE IT

I’M GOOD AT IT THE WORLD NEEDS THIS PASSION MISSION PROFESSION VOCATION

I GET PAID FOR IT

2 - What is the perfect scenario?

If everything came good for you tomorrow what would that look like?

We rarely know what “Absolutely Brilliant” would look like in our lives, so if we don't know, we certainly will never find it. If change is to be an opportunity then knowing what a good outcome looks like is key.  So, how do you perceive the perfect scenario?

Give yourself 10 minutes, without distraction to write down, quickly, what is going on in your perfect tomorrow.

What are you doing?

Who are you with?

Where are you?

What can you smell?

What can you see?

Why are you there?

How did you get there?

You might find some of these hard to think about, but just write what comes to mind. We are exploring possibility after all. How out of reach does it feel? What things can you do? What things can you start working towards?

Having a few things, no matter how small or big, that are important to you, that are part of your perfect scenario is that start of owning change. It is the start of having a filter to know what to do.

You can ask yourself 'How is this helping / serving my goal / what I want to do'?

You can be more intentional about your decisions.

3 - What are the possibilities?

Searching for opportunity and possibilities should now be just something you do all the time as part of your resilience toolkit, the way you work.

Be curious

It might feel like you need to be brave, or confident, or have courage to act on your curiosity. But you have everything you need to be curious. You are brave your way, you are confident your way, you have courage your way.

So don't be a barrier to yourself doing something that could turn out to be a great move. And equally don't waste energy on worrying if things lead to nothing.

Be ridiculous

You can explore possibilities by asking yourself ridiculous questions and answering in ridiculous ways. There are clues everywhere you go, in everything you see, hear, touch. Inspiration is everywhere.

Which person would you most like to go for a co ee with right now? What would you talk about?

What film sums up what’s going right now?

What shape do you think of when you think about the changes going on?

If you could be somewhere else right now where would you be?

Draw a line that represents where you are right now.

Possibility often lies in the ridiculous. We think things can’t possibly be, but ridiculous might not be that ridiculous.

When you have ideas it's important never to dismiss or edit at the beginning. You should give every thought and idea a chance to breathe. Make notes of it all, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Delete nothing.

Why not? If someone else already does something, why can’t you?

What are the possibilities?

We think things can’t possibly be, but ridiculous might not be that ridiculous. So can you see possibility amongst the change?�

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STEP 5: Choose

and then you have to decide, take a leap and go for it

This is about taking ownership. It's about moving from feeling change is happening to you, to take hold of it and making it your own in control of your response to change.

It's not easy to be in this place, to stay in this place. It takes practice, and you have to keep working on it. Keeping alert, observing your emotions, your thoughts, your reactions.

It may be feel hard-going at times, so just pause and don't give up. Take time out and reset. It’ll be worth it.

3 Questions

1 - What are your priorities?

You might have lots of ideas and possibilities about how to see change as opportunity. You might have so many ideas it feels overwhelming. It's important to believes things are achievable. Start with your priorities.

Make a list putting the most important thing for you to focus on at the top. You can only have one number 1 priority. (You might want to put everything on post-its so you can keep moving them around until you commit to your number 1.)

There will always be a number 1 priority in your life. Whether you are conscious of it or not. Make your priority list, commit to it, and if you feel it needs to change do it intentionally.

2 - What do you need to move forward?

You can't do this alone. You have to have the right resources around you to know what you need.

Help and support can come in di erent ways. It could be about having the right people around you. Check: are in a negative environment, are you in Group Think, are the people around you helping or hindering?

Do you need someone to talk to? A counsellor, a mentor, a coach - they will all do di erent things for you, clarify what you need right now.

Taking ownership

The way you move forwards is in your hands. When you've worked on how you want to be, how you want to do this, then focus on ownership.

Your Needs Check List

The People around you - the supporters, the distractors, the energy zappers, the teachers, the cheerleaders, mentors, coaches, trainers

Money / investment - what do you need, what are your options

Knowledge - what do you know, what do you need to know, can you learn this or should you outsource?

Inspiration - what will keep you going?

Time - what is your priority? where is your energy? how are you making space?

3 - What is the one thing you can do?

Small steps, big changes

As we are coming to the end of the experience don’t be overwhelmed, about where to start, or what to do next. Endings often make us feel like this, because space is being created for something new.

So embrace the sense of new beginnings.

You've started the work which will help you navigate sticky times and remember to celebrate good times.

Avoid feeling overwhelmed by taking small steps. If you did one thing a day for the next 3 months just think of where you could be.

What is that one thing can you do today?

EMBRACE THE FEELING OF NEW BEGINNINGS.

decide now how you want to move through change.�

Decide how you will own change. Opportunity and new adventures need space for that to happen.

There are three choices you can make when going through change.  Well four really, but one is a cop out!

1. Stick - stick to what you are doing, but find a way to upgrade, maybe get promoted, a fresh project, increase salary, flexible hours

2. Twist - stick to what you are doing, your expertise, but deliver it in a di erent way, a way that suits you better.

3. Bust - time for a complete change, through your cards up in the air, time for something new, retrain, start that business idea, do something di erent.

(And 4. Do nothing. Freeze. Hope for the best)

It might be a few stepping stones, a combination of sticking, twisting, busting. It might be you need to focus on priorities and build a long term plan towards your big goal.

Give yourself a challenge, goal, focus and work on it for at least 3 months.

Write a date in your diary for a 3 month review. But until then decide to focus on making it happen.

You now own change.

What ever you do next is in your hands…

For more support for you, your team or your organisation going through change get in touch at hello@anotherdoor.co.uk

www.anotherdoor.co.uk