With COVID, we experienced a time of great change accompanied by great struggle and stress due to the devastating circumstances and the indefinite end. With the move to the HCMD, even though it is a positive outcome with distinct final end point, we will still experience the struggle and stress of change. 

As humans, we often resist change because we have a great fear of the unknown, we may be overwhelmed by other personal or professional responsibilities so the change can be the one more thing we just can’t bear, we can be angry we weren’t consulted or included in the change and we can disagree with the change and not think it’s the right direction to take.  

At work, change can make us feel helpless and out of control over the important events that affect our lives. We can feel grief over the loss of friends through layoffs or reassignments. We can feel our security has been threatened with a lack of certainty about the future, can have an identity crisis due to changing job duties or status and can feel confusion from rumors or incomplete information about what the changes really mean. We can also feel weighed down by a physical and mental fatigue from the number and speed of changes we’re facing.

Unfortunately, change is the only constant and an inevitability in work and in life. To weather the changes that come, we must develop personal resilience and increase our ability to adapt and bounce back from the temporary challenges change presents. 

Resilient people have particular attributes we can develop to increase our capacity to cope with change, adapt to our new reality and even take advantage of the opportunities change presents: 

-Proactive: they watch for coming changes and take time to prepare themselves

-Well-organized: they assess what is needed so they can develop a plan and anticipate problems

-Flexible: they see more than one way to approach a challenge

-Patient: they maintain a sense of humor when faced with change

-Focused: they understand the goal/vision and use it to guide their actions

-Positive: they know change is normal, challenging and potentially rewarding and embrace change with a “can do” attitude.

All of these insights can increase our sense of overwhelm if we don’t translate them into action, so it’s important to take the time to plan how we will put these tools into practice.

Refer to page 11 in your workbook and answer the following:

1. What’s the most compelling “Why” for the HCMD?
2. What are two changes you need to communicate?
3. What is an innovation you need to lead?
4. Do you need to have any difficult conversations?
5. Schedule your action steps now.