Forget the NEW normal. Focus on the NOW normal.
Let’s face it: Few people really know what they are doing these days. Business leaders may listen to the experts and read the news, but most of us are making it up as we go. No one in my wide network recalls the MBA course about leading, motivating, and thriving during a world-wide pandemic. The best organizations may have detailed business continuity plans to fall back on, but by page two, only limited parts of it are relevant to the situation we find ourselves in.
And now I’m hearing discussion about how leaders and employees must adapt to the NEW normal. While I’m not a scientist, doctor, governor or politician, I feel fairly confident saying that leaders and employees should be focusing on the NOW normal and preparing to adapt again, and again, and again whether due to Covid-19 or other changes in their professional lives.
And that’s where understanding the predictable stages of change can help.
Loss – thoughts are overshadowed by fear. Instead of panicking, ask yourself: “What’s the worst possible outcome… and if that happened, how would I get through it?”
Skepticism – thoughts are filled with doubt and it may be hard to imagine positives coming out of the situation. In the face of skepticism, ask yourself: “What are the facts? What do I know to be true (not what do I wish was true.)”
Anxiety – we are uncomfortable and confused. Ask yourself: “How can I make small breakthroughs (or implement small changes) that will move me/my team/the organization forward?”
Discovery – includes the realization that there are options and choices. Ask yourself: “How can I do this in the best (efficient/effective/healthiest/safest) way possible given what I know right now?”
Understanding – recognition that we can and must deal with the situation at hand in a pragmatic way. Ask yourself: “How can I apply what I’ve learned during this time and use it right now?”
Integration – acknowledgement that the change has become the norm. Ask yourself: “How can I prepare for future changes?”
While we would all like the stages of change to be linear, that is rarely the case. It is more of a zig-zag path with steps backwards and forwards.
If the experts are correct, we will be experiencing multiple cycles of “normal” in the coming months. Let’s not focus on the NEW normal, because we are setting ourselves up for a crushing blow as more changes come. Let’s instead work to adapt to the NOW normal and remain open to repeating this cycle multiple times..
Contact PLATTinum if your organization or team needs to develop their resilience and adaptability skills and would benefit from a more in-depth understanding of how change impacts individuals.
Contact PLATTinum if your leaders need to develop their skills in initiating, communicating, and leading teams through change.
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