When it’s time to change, it’s simple — do it. Or in the words of the swoosh, just do it. Unfortunately, when faced with the opportunity for change, either personal or professional, many of us sit back. Perhaps we don’t have the motivation. Maybe we are afraid of failure. Or it could be that we just don’t know how to change. Whatever the reason, you need to push past the obstacles and do.
With the pace of technology, change — the ability to adapt to it — is essential. I remember my father purchasing a microwave for my grandmother. She refused to use it, until she realized that a potato baked in a few minutes instead of an hour. Flash forward and my father resisted an iPhone. The use of icons and swipes was initially beyond his comprehension, but now, just like my grandmother, he adapted and won’t turn back.
In both examples, the reasons to change seemed obvious, but the actual process of adopting them wasn’t initially intuitive.
Be extreme, and watch the world evolve around you
One tip is to be extreme. Move outside your comfort zone and force yourself to change a habit or an approach and to start to see a difference.
For example, if you’re quiet but want to speak more in group settings, make a plan and force yourself to contribute at every opportunity. Or if you’re perceived as too talkative, practice listening and holding your thoughts. These drastic changes can have a profound impact on how others perceive you.
Years ago, my boss’s executive coach told him that he needed to step back and let his team do the work they were qualified to do, especially in their areas of expertise. He took the advice, was disciplined in his approach and let us manage our areas with more autonomy. In a short time, the entire team was performing at a higher level and both the team and my boss felt more confident and fulfilled.
Stay the course
Staying the course means you need to think beyond the first step. For both personal and professional changes, you must prepare for what you do after that initial step. Sometimes, we try to do too much, when the real focus should be on investing the time to make changes stick.
My company focuses on driving operational improvements in hospitals. It involves significant change that’s also critical because health care systems must continue to improve access to care and facilitate the flow of patients across the care continuum.
One client has had amazing success — more people getting care and waiting less time for it. One key reason for these outcomes is our client’s commitment to the change management plan. It continually reinforces the same messages and enforces it at all levels of the organization. This wasn’t a check-the-box change; it was a true change of life.
Change might be easier than you think. Look for the inspiration in change and stick with it until you see the outcomes that will drive your success.
Diane Watson is the COO of TeleTracking. Diane is responsible for TeleTracking’s services organization, which includes its client delivery team. She has a wealth of experience in consulting, information technology and general management. Her background includes the position of CIO at Medrad, a medical device manufacturer, as well as a long tenure at Andersen Consulting, currently Accenture.
