| JJ's Tips in this issue: 1. Managing Changes 2. Lessons Learned 3. JJ's Favorite Quotes 4. Tele-Coaching & Tele-Mentoring ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Use the following tips as training tools. Present this situation to your group and brainstorm solutions together, or submit your own situation question to be answered in an upcoming newsletter. ------------------------------------- SITUATION QUESTION: ------------------------------------- A reader wrote: My company is making so many changes that are affecting me that I'm feeling tense, uncertain and stressed. There are also lots of changes happening personally too so how do I get through all these changes without getting depressed and jangled? --------------------- SOLUTIONS: --------------------- Accept the fact that some of the changes are happening because others have made the decisions for you, and others are of your own doing. Regardless, assume the outcome will be to your advantage! Some changes take a long time to accomplish and others happen quickly. You may be dealing with both at the same time, so look at each change as a separate project. Observe how things were before the change started and then visualize what the ultimate change, when it's completed, will mean to you. Assume positive results! Here's where company changes bog down. People who have NOT been a part of the decision-making process start to have disaster fantasies about the outcome. Managers should work to include employees (associates) in the decision making by asking their opinions BEFORE the decision is made. Sometimes this isn't possible for the manager or the employees. When top management passes a decision down to the lower levels without prior communication on the subject, RESISTANCE occurs. You may have areas of change that you're resisting. Resisting slows the process and makes the change harder and more stressful. HR Magazine stated that stress is costing companies lots of money, and change causes work stress. One out of five take time off work because of stress-related problems. Under the stress is a lot of fear. Five Things That CHOKE Ability to Change: 1) Fear of the unknown or loss (control, power, people, things) 2) Fear of failure (you'll be measured if you fail) 3) Fear of commitment (tough question, what do you really want?) 4) Not feeling safe (no guarantee) 5) Age and rigidity (remember older people in your family who just weren't going to change regardless of what others wanted) Everyone resists change to some degree. The key to successful change is to SURRENDER TO IT as soon as you know it's coming. Once the decision is made that a change is going to happen, monitor your resistance. How do you see the change playing out in your mind. Is it disaster or smooth sailing on the other side. Remember, resistance slows and even stops the progress. A MAJOR KEY to your success is, assume the change will eventually be better for you, so look for what you can do to make the change happen smoothly now. Surrender to the new. Believe it or not, you can be happy during major changes and stresses. Abraham Lincoln said long ago, "You're as happy as you make up your mind to be." Decide to be happy and look for ways to cope with the ups and downs. When multiple changes happen at the same time, surround yourself with positive, nurturing people who will support you through the stresses (fears) created by the changes. Your support group of manager, fellow teammates, friends and loved ones will help you handle the upsets and chaos until there's smooth sailing on the other side. They'll probably need you as much as you need them. Pull them close instead of pushing them away (resistance). Remember the Friends television program that had its 10-year finale last week? The six of them were there for each other through thick and thin, and there was a lot of thick at times. They supported each other with unconditional love and support during their times of trouble, AND they always found the humor in every situation, eventually. Besides having a good support system, sleep on anything that seems monumental, disturbing or life changing. And better yet, take a mini vacation from everything, at least one day a week. I remember hearing Earl Nightingale, a motivational speaker who was speaking on the same program with me at a conference a few years ago, tell how he always found the answers to his biggest change challenges when he was sitting in a boat fishing. He said we all need a change of pace and change of scenery to relax and recharge ourselves, especially when things get stressful. When the body is more relaxed and enjoying the moment, true inspiration happens. The solutions appear from nowhere, and changes are more easily accepted and even desired. Workaholics don't find solutions or make changes faster than those who take breaks and vacations with their families and friends. Find a balance of work and play and welcome change! You'll stay more healthy in mind, body and spirit as you grow your career. Psychologists tell us that the number 1 skill to have in business, especially as we get older, is the ability to change, to CHANGE QUICKLY and be flexible through the process. Surrender to change, embrace it, and grow through the process. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LESSONS RELEARNED: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Many of you have been in my classes or audiences, and you know that I don't suggest anything unless I've tested it and found success with it. Then I pass my research and experiences on to you. Along the way, we've learned many lessons and even relearned some of them. Coping with change is always challenging. This seems to be a lesson people forget, and they need to be reminded of what they already know. So ask yourself, Did you already know everything you read here. If the answer is "Yes," then ask yourself if you're applying the lesson adequately during the changes you're experiencing! If the answer is, "No," don't beat yourself up, give yourself some slack. It's no accident that you're reading this as a reminder. If you've been following my newsletters for the last six months, you'll know about the major changes that have been occurring in MY life. I was engaged at Thanksgiving 2003 and married in January 2004. We went on our honeymoon (Caribbean cruise) in February, and put my house up for sale in March. We're attempting to merge two fully-packed households into one in April and May, AND working with clients too. Talk about change! It has been a fascinating, wonderful ride, as long as I remembered HOW to cope with all the changes. When I get impatient or forget to take enough breaks is when I have to relearn this lesson, and then I'm back on track and stronger than ever! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JJ's FAVORITE QUOTES: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you don't make changes when changes are due, you'll bring drama and trauma into your life that will cause you to make those changes anyway." "It's not what happens to you, it's how you deal with it that matters! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tele-COACHING & Tele-MENTORING ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IN 2004, DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE? Customer service or sales? Inbound or outbound call center sales and service? Dealing with irate internal or external customers? Motivation and growth of your people? Leading and Coaching your staff? TRY our one-on-one Tele-Mentoring (phone coaching service) that is available to business owners, executives, managers, supervisors and staff members. Call for your FREE CONSULTATION now! 800 500-9656 or 408 866-7673 _________________________________ EVALUATION OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT: _________________________________ Have you had an Evaluation of Your Environment lately so you could receive suggestions on improving it? (It's like the doctor's check up, you often don't know you need it, until after you've had it.) http://www.jjlauderbaugh.com/about.html **************************************** ABOUT JJ: **************************************** JJ Lauderbaugh, CPCM 408 866-7673 or 800 500-9656 189 Altura Vista Dr. |