Time for Change this New Year?
Dr. E. Carol Webster
Copyright © 1996, 2003
The start of a new year is a good time to look at your goals and
assess where you are in life. Is your career advancing the way you’d
like? Quite often we plod through life taking things "a day at a
time," because this is a good way to manage stress. But, look at
the "big picture" to make sure you’re not shortchanging your
aspirations.
Start by taking a look at what you wanted to be "when you grew
up." How much different was that dream 5 years ago? A year ago?
Don’t be afraid to confront these dreams directly and identify things
that have thrown you off course. With all the changes in the
marketplace, dreams have been dashed for a lot of people, but many
identified opportunities as well. Alternatives exist, so take the time
to nurture new dreams. Would you rather do something else? How can you
get there? Then, what’s keeping you from making a change? Often, the
answer is fear.
People fear change for many reasons. The fear of failure is one of
them. You know how to do your current job backwards and forward. You can
do it in your sleep. But, how would you perform in a new company where
you don’t know the ropes? You’d have to learn new things, work with
new people, and you may not get the hang of things right away. This
evokes a resistance to change because you don’t want to fail. You
prefer to stay in your comfort zone and minimize the risk of failure,
but this may keep you from utilizing your full potential. It also may
keep you from gaining satisfaction in your career and in your life.
Another fear is of heightened expectations. You want more recognition
and pay, but are you ready for the increased workload and
responsibilities that come with them? Many say "sure!" but
grumble about the long hours and change in lifestyle required when
moving up. When reality sinks in, many people accept the fact that
they’re not really ready to take on the increased demands that will be
expected of them. So, they "forget" to follow up on the hot
tip about a job opening in another company or "lose" the
contact information altogether. These lapses betray conflict about
advancing your career and need to be addressed. Be frank with yourself.
If you’re not up to the new challenge because you really don’t want
to work that hard, then say so. But, if you’re game, get rid of the
excuses and take the plunge!
To conquer fear, ask yourself "What’s the worst that can
happen?" Play out all the possible scenarios in your head and then
on paper. If you fear that you won’t be able to do the new job,
determine why? What increased knowledge or skills do you need to prepare
for this position? Once you’re on the new job, take steps to bolster
your fund of information or technical skills if you find yourself
running into trouble. While you might have a sharp learning curve to
master, you’ve gotten this far in life because you’re a bright and
capable individual. These same assets will see you through on the new
job.
If your fear is that the new demands will overwhelm you, then
strengthen your ability to manage your time and workload now. You can
expect things to get worse on the new job, but this doesn’t mean you
can’t handle it. Evaluate your delegation skills. Many promotions
involve a greater span of control, but a lot of managers can’t let go.
Thus, they fail to adjust to the new work situation. In this era of
rightsizing and downsizing you’re probably going to have to do more
with less, but this doesn’t mean you have to do it all! Remember, a
good manager delegates and develops subordinates. Your staff will shine
and you’ll look good too.
The new year is a great time to make changes. Take a good look at
your choices and decide whether change may help rejuvenate a stagnant
career or get it back on the right course. Change may be scary, but you
can handle it. Set your sights high and go for it!
