As you read this article, consider a change you are facing inside or outside of work. For example, if your department is re-organising, think about how you would answer these questions for yourself.
I first met Kaizen Training when I attended their ‘Brain Friendly Learning’ course in March last year with Kimberley Hare. Kim made it easy to get to know her and the team. We met up several times subsequently; I attended the Facilitator Master Class training; and also presented to team members about my work on influence. So when I attended the selection day in January, I was already in familiar surroundings. My key goals for the selection were to be true to myself, and to be totally open about what’s important to me.
What talents and skills do I bring with me, and what new ones might I need to learn?
This was the first question I asked myself, and was an easy one for me to answer. I knew that my talents as a trainer, coach and facilitator were a good fit for Kaizen, and that my influence offer mirrors some of the work already been done in the team. I was acutely aware that joining Kaizen meant raising my game even more, and that sits neatly with how much I value continuous learning.
So consider your own situation. For example, if you are in a department or company that’s reorganising, you might be wondering how your role will change, and what skills you will need in future to adapt to the ‘new world’. I suggest you take a moment and write down your thoughts.
When I work with any new organisation, I am always keen to understand their values. Some of my most uncomfortable moments in business have occurred when the values played out are markedly different to my own. A key value for me is that of partnership / win-win, and another is inclusivity in a team environment. I was keen to explore Kaizen’s values. The values on the Kaizen website are ones I subscribe to wholeheartedly. However, I noticed a few behaviours amongst some team members that made me feel uncomfortable, and this was an area for me to explore during the selection process. Interestingly, what I discovered is that members of this team typically do not attach a high importance to feeling ‘comfortable’. This was an eye-opener for me!
So, another question to ask in times of change is:
How does this change fit with what’s important to me?
If something feels wrong for you about the way you are experiencing your own situation, it is useful to examine your values, and to what extent they are being met. You might also ask yourself what you believe to be true about your situation, and whether these beliefs are helping or hindering you. You may have little influence over the situation itself, but gaining an understanding of what’s important to you will enable you to make different choices about how you respond.
Who am I being in relation to this change and how does it affect what I stand for?
My biggest challenge in making the decision to join Kaizen was how I would make the shift from Agile. I knew that I could only make it work with Kaizen if I took Kaizen on as my own brand. That meant leaving Agile behind. I’ve made big shifts in my ‘identity’ at other times in my life – for example, when I moved from Coca-Cola to Lucozade, and when I became a mother. In this recent case I found myself getting bogged down in the details:
Now consider your own situation for a moment. Who are you being in relation to this change? Who do you want to be? What elements of your identity no longer serve you as you make this transition? And what elements of who you are stand you in good stead to see it through?
I found in making the shift to being a Kaizen person that, when I was truly able to make that change in my heart, all those niggling details became surmountable, the solutions obvious.
How does this change affect my personal contribution to the groups of which I am a part? (these groups might be team / workplace / clients / family / friends / community)
It may sound rather grand to talk about having a purpose in life, yet I do believe we all make a contribution through the work we do and the person we are. Some of us may be clear about what that purpose is, and others are still figuring it out. When changes happen to us, especially big ones, it’s important to consider how they affect our contribution. Sometimes, we can feel diminished by change, or confused, or lost. It may take some time before we can see the good in it. Ideally, I guess, we want changes in our lives to enhance the contribution we make, perhaps by increasing the scale or intensity of that contribution.
An unexpected and delightful consequence of joining the Kaizen team is the way I have been able to clarify the contribution I make in my work. The inspiration and support of my new colleagues has helped with that. I enjoy helping people I work with recognise the extraordinary power and influence they possess to make a positive difference in their workplace. And I’ve noticed that I feel most alive when I work with talented women in business to help them fast-track their personal progress, step up to more senior roles and significantly increase the contribution they make in the workplace. So my focus moving forward is to help talented women access the attitude, confidence, skills and belief to make it happen for them.
For help to steer you and your business through change, us or call +44 (0) 845 224 5657.
© Helen Krag, 2010