Change and Resilience Go Hand In Hand

It is my opinion that change and resilience go hand in hand. What are your thoughts?
You must be resilient to change and manage change effectively. We have all met folks who at the slightest notion that a change may be forthcoming, they fall apart. Resilient people do not fall apart at the thought of change. To become more resilient, you must change (your thoughts, actions, habits, etc.). In order to really bounce forward after life’s challenges, we must be ready, willing and able to implement necessary changes.
Many people however fear change, or avoid persisting through the transition process that is natural in change. Even resilient people may struggle with change; however, they tend to move through it with less difficult. Sometimes we need to go back to what is or has worked. What has helped you be successful in past when implementing changes?
Think for a moment about a change that you struggled with; perhaps you resisted or avoided the change. What about that change created the resistance? How did you overcome the resistance and accept the change?
Here are three tips to accepting change more readily:
- Fully understand the change. Often it is the assumptions around the change that foster fear, apprehension or resistance. When you fully understand the change, its implications and the process, it often seems less daunting. In workplaces, leaders who spend more time communicating the change and pertinent details will likely face less resistance and more optimism.
- Draw upon the skills and tools that have served you well in past.
- Be engaged instead of an observer. Change is often easier to manage when you are engaged in the change instead of standing on the sidelines. In the workplace, those who criticize from the sidelines are avoiding responsibility and risk. Encourage their participation; they are less likely to criticize when they are involved.