The Corporate Couch - May / June 2010


Dear Dr. Mimi,
Recently, upper management enforced many new rules in the policies and procedures at my workplace. We have been doing things the same way for many years now with much success and my coworkers and I are getting frustrated with all of the changes. How can I learn to adapt when all I want to do is revolt?
- No Change


Dear No Change,

Change is inevitable and hard! So what can you do to make it more comfortable and successful?

1. Invest your energy in making quick adjustments to the changes. Don’t focus on what life was like before the new rules or find ways to rebel. Accept that change has occurred. It is better to be a change agent than a change blocker!

2. Determine how the game has changed. Reorder your priorities. Take a step back and learn why the new policies were necessary. This will help you figure our ways to work with the changes and have the changes work for you.

3. Don’t worry about the bad things. Focus on the bright side. Maintain a positive attitude to help you through tough times and long days.

4. Keep in step with the organization’s intended pace of change. Speed up. Don’t drag your feet in this process. Decide to adapt to changes and work with them to help avoid conflict later.

5. Keep a positive attitude and a sense of humor. Encourage others around you and focus on the positive. Be an advocate for the changes. Express the reason why you feel these changes will be positive for your organization.

Dear Dr. Mimi
I just took on a new position that is challenging my leadership ability. This position is forcing me to make many changes to the way I typically do things. Likewise, the organization is instituting more changes, and I can tell my employees are resisting these changes. What should I do?
Stuck

Dear Stuck:
In today’s business world, change is necessary and inevitable. People feel uncomfortable when you first execute change or ask them to do something they have never done before. That is normal!
Some people may believe the changes mean they have to give up the way they want to do things to satisfy you personally or that the old way was wrong. The old way may have been perfect before, but things change and so do ways of accomplishing goals. If the changes apply to everyone, let staffers know that you are the facilitator. Emphasize that you support the change and, in addition, they must support each other during the process.
Also, find out their needs. Do they want clarification of the expectations? Do they need training? Are they unsure of their ability to adjust? If you can, provide them with the necessary training, information or assistance.

If you aren’t sure what to do to implement the change, bring the group together to brainstorm ideas. Remember: People support what they help create! One word of caution: Change takes time and consistency. If you back down, staffers will naturally return to the way things “we’ve always done before.”

Dr. Mimi

The Corporate Couch - November/December 2009

Dear Dr. Mimi,
My boss doesn’t hide his contempt for me. He constantly criticizes me and he gives me the assignments that no one else will do. I don’t know what I did to deserve his rude behavior but I’m starting to lose my cool with him. Any advice?-
Scorned Staffer

Dear Scorned,
The term commonly used to describe your supervisor is “toxic.” Here are the four tips I commonly offer clients who work with a toxic boss:
1. Don’t take it personally. You’re a person first and an employee second. If your supervisor starts screaming at you or acts in some other way that is inappropriate be polite but make a choice not to buy into it.
2. Don’t compromise your ethics. If you are asked to do something you know is wrong, speak up, ask questions and politely decline.
3. Don’t seek revenge. Remember, success is the best revenge. Do not stoop to the level of your supervisor; it’s only likely to make the problem worse.
4. Don’t play the victim. Victims lose control and get dumped on more. Choose to have the personal power and toughness needed to succeed.

Are these things easier said than done? Oh course, but they sure beat crawling into a hole and sucking your thumb!
-Dr.Mimi

The 8 Realities of Change…and what you can do!
1. People hate to hear that there are going to be changes. The sooner they hear of the change, the more readily they will embrace it. Even those who hate change would rather know about it earlier than later.
2. People will feel uncomfortable, ill at ease and unnatural when you first implement change or ask them to do something different. Recognize this and let them know their feelings are normal.
3. Not everyone is at the same preparedness level for change and will, more often than not, focus on how they are unprepared for the change. Be sure to point out and emphasize the strengths they have to implement the change.
4. Even if everyone is going through a change at the same time, people often feel like they are alone. Encourage everyone to support and help each other.
5. People will be concerned about what they have to give up, even if the change will help them.
6. People will be concerned that they don’t have enough resources. Let them know what resources are available and that they are sufficient.
7. People can only handle so much change. Be careful not to overload them or do too much at the same time.
8. If unchecked, people will go back to doing things the way they always have in the past. Be prepared for a setback and have a process in place to get back on track.
(Taken from a “Change Management” program by Dr. Mimi Hull)