HEADS UP!
Heads Up! A weekly update on the world of innovation brought to you by Innovation University, a best practices program of the Innovation Network.
How Well Do You Adapt to Change?
It has become a truism to talk about how "the times...they are
a-changin'," followed by an admonition that we all need to learn
how to change in order to succeed in business.
On that note, Carol Kinsey Goman opened the ASTD annual conference this
week with the topic "This Isn't the Organization I Joined."
Considered an expert on the "human side" of organizational
change, Goman is the author of numerous books including "Creativity
in Business: A Practical Guide for Creative Thinking," "Adapting
to Change: Making It Work for You," "Managing in a Global
Organization," and recently, "The Human Side of High Tech."
Goman said, "Organizations don't change. People do," and added
that it's critical to identify the "change-adept," those who
are most capable of responding to and facilitating change throughout
the rest of the organization.
How do you recognize those people? Here are five qualities of change-adept
people:
* Confidence--Even in the face of change, these people feel they can
adapt, learn new skills and find a way to thrive.
*Welcome Challenge--They have optimism. They focus on the positive aspects
of the change and allow the brightness of the future they envision to
galvanize them.
* Coping--They have great coping skills. They are flexible and focus
on what they can control. They use tools such as humor to help themselves
work through tough times.
* Creativity--The change-adept tend to challenge the status quo, find
new ways to solve old problems, and the best of them anticipate and
capitalize on change.
* Counter-balance-Change-adept people take care of themselves physically,
emotionally, spiritually and realistically. They have fulfilling outside
interests so their total focus is not on job/career.
Thinking about those qualities, who can you rely on, including yourself,
to facilitate change in your organization? As a manager, what can you
do to nurture these qualities?
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| Andrea Woodward |
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| Ruth Ann Hattori |
E-mail: andrea@thinksmart.com PHONE: 805-563-1438
Join the Innovation University Fellowship Group
Call Ruth Ann Hattori at 303-604-1981 or e-mail andrea@thinksmart.com for more information.
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