Change Management

How Well are You and Your Organization Handling the Transition?

How Well are You and Your Organization Handling the Transition?

Now that almost all the states are open again, organizations are wrestling with whether to bring people back into the office, do a hybrid model, or continue to have their employees work remote. After more than a year of working from home and not having to deal with a commute, going back to work in the office or a hybrid model is a big transition for most people, especially parents.

As change agents / leaders, we see how hard transitions can be on people. Many people thrive on routine as it helps us:

  • Find safety and gives us a sense of control

  • Reduce anxiety and lower stress

  • Improve sleep

  • Boost our cognitive function

  • Cope with the continual flow of decisions in our lives

Whether the transition from your routine is you’re returning to work in the office, or another of the transitions below, how well are you handling the change? Wondering how normal are the emotions you're experiencing during this transition?

What Kind of Canary in the Coal Mine are You?

What Kind of Canary in the Coal Mine are You?

As we take the day to honor those who served our country and are no longer with us, the canaries who also helped keep many Americans safe come to mind. In addition to canaries being used in coal mines to uncover the presence of carbon monoxide, they were also used in several wars as an early warning device to detect certain poisonous gases to save human lives.

Why am I talking about canaries in relation to being a change agent? As change agents and leaders, many times we are the proverbial canary in the coal mine in an organization. We see things in the organization that others do not seem to see. What we do with these insights and how the organization responds to us can differ. Read on to see what kind of canary in the coal mine are you?

How Fast do You, Your Organization, and Team Learn?

How Fast do You, Your Organization, and Team Learn?

Happy Easter Everyone!! Watching Covid cases surge again in Massachusetts due to more contagious variants, looser restrictions, and unvaccinated people feeling a false sense of security and moving about more, reminds me of a pattern a lot of humans have. This pattern is the tendency to repeat an issue over and over, whether it be at work, in their relationship, in their family, with their friends, etc., before finally facing the problem, figuring out how to break the cycle, and learning the lesson.

As change agents and leaders, we frequently see this pattern of an organization, team, or individual repeat an issue over and over. Unfortunately a lot of times it takes the organization being in a lot of financial pain, the team being in great distress, or an individual being in a lot of emotional pain over the issue having repeated several times before they’ll finally face and address the problem. The question is, how fast do you, your organization, and team learn? How many times does an issue repeat before the problem is faced and addressed?

What are some examples of an organization, team, and individual repeating an issue over and over?

What Effect do Your Words Have?

What Effect do Your Words Have?

Happy New Year!! I had an entirely different blog post written and then Jan 6th, 2021 happened. Here’s to continuing to pivot during this pandemic.

As change agents and leaders, the words we choose matter. Our words can inspire and lift people up, they can hurt and bring people down, they can inspire collaboration, they can plant a seed, they can ignite conflict / violence, and more. Unfortunately inciting conflict and violence is what we saw happen in the United States Capitol on Jan 6th, 2021. As you reflect on what happened that fateful day, think about what effect your words have been having on your team?, your employees?, your spouse?, your children?, and others? Unsure of the effect of your words? Or how to shift the effect?

How has Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Inspired You?

How has Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Inspired You?

What a sad day it was on Friday Sep 18th when we learned Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) had left this Earth. What a resilient and tough as nails change agent she was. Below are just some of the difficult things she went through in her lifetime and despite these difficulties, she persevered and accomplished all of the below.

How Addicted to Work are You?

How Addicted to Work are You?

Happy Labor Day everyone!

As we honor the American labor movement and the workers who have contributed to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country, pause and ask yourself:

  • How much are you working to live vs. living to work?

  • How much is your identity wrapped up in work?

  • When was the last time you took time off from your job?

  • If you were to be laid off, how full and satisfying would your life still be?

If you’re feeling discomfort thinking about these questions, your answers are uncomfortably surprising you, or you’re feeling the heebie jeebies just thinking about the last question, then it’s time to acknowledge you may be a work addict (i.e. workaholic).

Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Effective in Bringing about Change