Managing the Uneasiness of Change

To be in business today is to manage change. From experimenting with new technologies to shifting how we work, companies must manage the evolving needs of their business, employees, and customers. 

Driven by ever-evolving technologies, businesses have to adapt fast. And they’ve done it—radically and swiftly out of necessity to stay competitive. Just when we think the dust has settled, there’s always something new to address.

As the saying goes, change is the one constant in life. 

Limiting anxiety’s impact 

Let’s face it, change and leading through uncertainty can be stressful, anxiety-inducing, and exhausting. We all experience a fight or flight response to stress in our own unique ways. Some have physical symptoms such as digestive problems or difficulty sleeping. This can cause us to be irritable and distracted during the day. Others become immobilized or push through stress, fatigue, and fear by burying themselves in their work. They may even hold themselves and others to an impossibly high standard.  

No matter your reaction, if you leave anxiety unchecked it can zap you of your energy and can lead to poor decisions. Anxiety is a powerful enemy—but you can make it your partner.

To successfully navigate anxiety requires you to, first, name it. Identify the conditions or triggers that set you off and how it manifests itself. Then, you can find what works for you—such as deep breathing exercises or thinking through potential scenarios—to help you refocus. When you know how to manage it, you can wield your anxiety for good. 

By acknowledging and addressing stress and anxiety, you regain the energy needed to inspire and motivate others. And take on more change. 

Resisting business as usual

After any big change, it’s normal to seek some sort of “normal.” We try to adjust and create new routines. This work can be tough—we crave the comfort of our old routines and patterns. Yet, as we focus on a new normal, we open the door to more change. With greater change, comes a need to prioritize.  

Leaders should focus on exploring changes that will make their business stronger. This includes: 

• Building and maintaining a great business culture. Testing new ways for building and maintaining a strong culture with remote employees.
• Using a virtual workforce to your advantage. Tapping into remote talent while creating new ways to engage and connect with employees. 
• Exploring new technologies. Finding ways to leverage new technologies (like machine learning and artificial intelligence)) to gain better data insights, efficiencies in business operations, and more.
• Prioritizing the customer experience. Identifying new ways to respond to evolving customer expectations.
• Putting values first. Prioritizing the wellbeing of their people and giving as much attention to social and environmental concerns as financial ones.

Change doesn’t happen in a vacuum. As decision-makers adapt to new circumstances, so do employees and customers. As a result of change, they developed new preferences and expectations. For example, after a year of working from home, flexible work arrangements are the new norm and an expectation. According to a recent study from the University of Chicago, employees would take an 8% pay cut to continue to work from home. Customers also expect more from businesses. For example, many consumers prefer to support businesses that support causes they care about. 

Instead of reverting back to “this is how we always did it,” explore how change can inspire new goals and ways of doing business.

Finding opportunities in change

Future success depends on a leader’s ability to master change in all parts of their business—to stay competitive and to reinvent. Leaders must resist the temptation to cling to the past and, instead, adapt to what’s next, whatever that may be.  

Adaptive leaders don’t see change as an obstacle. They see it as an opportunity to evolve. They recognize that the path to an end goal must be flexible with more than one plan to reach those goals. 

Having an elastic mindset that can rethink situations and shift direction takes practice. It begins by opening up to new ideas and getting comfortable with being a novice, not the expert. Create a safe environment to take risks. Embrace creative approaches like design thinking or experience innovation that help address uncertainty and lead to new insights. Companies like Airbnb, Slack, and Uber were founded in the uncertainty of the global financial crisis. They used this elastic mindset to navigate change and create current expectations. And they continue to grow stronger today.

Expanding your thinking & support structure

We all reach a time when we feel stuck or weary, especially when we manage a lot of change. Leaders need not go it alone. One of the best ways to get unstuck and revitalized is to get advice. Talk to leaders with different perspectives, outside your industry. It can help spark new ideas and re-energize you when you need it the most.

One great way to access other leaders is through a mastermind group or independent advisor board. In these safe, confidential spaces, leaders can share advice and uncover opportunities. They can help identify blind spots and new approaches to challenges. They help you train your ability to think with more flexibility and adaptability. Plus, it’s a great way to stay focused and feel confident in your decisions. 

Adapt, reinvent, thrive

Now, more than ever, leaders must adapt if they, their teams, and their businesses, are to thrive. There are boundless opportunities to reinvent. It begins by being willing to be a novice, having an open mind and asking questions like “how else” & “why not?”

And there’s nothing wrong with asking for a little help along the way. 

Learn more about how we can help you here.

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Do we really need to find new opportunities to create great experiences for our customers after all the recent changes?   What do you think? 

Share your thoughts in the comment section below.