How leaders can handle change with grace

In speaking with a client last week I have to say I was immensely impressed. He was experiencing huge changes in his business – some as a result of his direct action and others completely unexpected and out of his control. We discussed the impact of these changes, he expressed his concerns and then simply went onto tell me how he had already begun to work through some solutions. He demonstrated three traits of an effective leader managing change:

• He had recognised opportunities.
• He was learning through the process.
• He was focused on achieving some great positive results despite the challenges.

Throughout life, change will always be our constant companion. We will have changes that we make happen, and changes that are thrust upon us and are out of our control. Despite its inevitability, change still makes us feel anxious and uncertain. It’s not that we need less change in our lives, but instead, we need to learn to adjust our perspective about change so that we can effectively manage it when it happens, particularly when we have a leadership responsibility.

The first step towards change is acceptance. Once you accept yourself, you open the door to change. That's all you have to do. Change is not something you do, it's something you allow.~ Will Garcia

Here are a few tips for handling life’s changes with grace and ease:

• Realise that change causes stress. Therefore to minimise the stress, identify what you can control and what you cannot, and take steps to minimise what you can.
• See the change as an opportunity rather than a bad situation.
• Keep your eye on your long-term goals. The circumstances of the present situation can distract you from your vision. So remind yourself that things will be different once you get through the change.
• Be open to what can be learned from the change, and ask yourself “What can this experience teach me? How will I grow?”

The one change you can expect is that things are going to change. Using these few simple strategies can help you smoothly navigate your next change.

So the next time you are faced with another inevitable, out of your control change – how are you going to respond? Respond with leadership grace.