Monday Hustle: The Art Of Change
In the workplace, change is inevitable, however much people try to fight against it. You know change is inevitable because we are no longer Neanderthals, and it’s been a looong time since women were only relegated to roles as receptionists or personal assistants (whilst there's nothing wrong with those roles, they fit an archaic stereotype of the '50s working woman). Not only do companies and businesses need to continually evolve to keep up with modernisation and trends, but it’s in the best interest of the employer to also evolve their employees to match the standards of skill quality.
However, if and when change is imminently approaching some of the more, say, ‘critical’ employees are sometimes hesitant of this change, especially if they have been working there for a long time and have been used to the comfort of complacency. This, my fellow badass, is your chance to shine as the artist of change.
It's totally normal for you and those around you to feel uneasy with change. It's the fear of the unknown, the loss of comfort and routine and the anxiety bubbling as your brain tells you that change is bad and is going to make work miserable. But change is good. Chant it with me, all together!
Change is truly an art that can be seen and accepted by all with a little bit of faith, trust and pixie dust. This change could be mean a pay rise, a change in job roles, the chance to show your skill as you take on a new project or more responsibility. It could mean leaving where you are now and endeavouring on pastures new if you don’t like what is being offered. What is important throughout all of this is thinking about the positive changes and the bigger picture. The canvas.
This canvas is where you can see why your employer has chosen to make these changes and how they benefit you as staff, and the customers that your employers may serve in the long run. The ‘critics’, on the other hand, may not be able to see the larger canvas because they're too focused on the tiny details. Yes, those tiny details make up the bigger picture, but it is the art that drives success.
As an artist of change, you can help show the ‘critics’ the bigger picture and help to ease their feelings about what is happening. Sometimes they just need to learn how to see things with fresh eyes, and you can show them the colours of the rainbow.
Perhaps it is unknown how long the period of doubt and fear settles in. Some changes can be implemented in a short amount of time, some take months for people to get used to, and some are looming over the workplace for a couple of years. Even when people’s questions cannot be answered straight away, the canvas can start to be drawn on to map out the final piece.
This doesn’t have to apply to work life either. What skills in the art of change you learn at work can be adapted to any area where a new piece of art needs to be created. Just remember, it’s always about the bigger picture, and you are the positive artist.
