Some employees respond to major technological or organizational change with enthusiasm and eagerness. Many more don’t, because these kinds of major change can be times of chaos, fear, turbulence, unrest, and reduced productivity.
If your responsibilities include guiding others through major change, you might find it instructive to assess your own response to change. The following questions can help you do just that. You can also use these questions to facilitate a discussion with your team about a current or upcoming change.
1. What kinds of changes shake you up or throw you off-kilter? Do these changes have anything in common?
2. How does major change affect your ability to think clearly, carry out your responsibilities, and get along with others?
3. When you’re in the midst of major change, what kinds of self-talk do you engage in that are helpful or harmful to your well-being? In these situations, what kinds of support do you need?
4. What do you do—or what could you do—to minimize the turbulence that you experience during times of major change?
5. Which changes that you’ve experienced, if any, did you sail through with minimal impact on your performance and well-being?
6. Can you detect any differences between changes that you handled effortlessly and those that threw you off-kilter?
7. How did the turbulence of change affect your mental and emotional stability and your ability to fulfill your responsibilities?
8. In what ways, if any, did your behavior during the change differ from what’s typical for you?
9. How would you describe any change-induced anxieties you’re currently experiencing? What kinds of things are increasing or decreasing those anxieties?
10. What might others notice about your attitude or your ability to do your job?
11. In terms of your reaction to current changes, what do you have control over and what do you not?
12. What can you do to minimize the duration and intensity of any turbulence that you’re experiencing during these changes? What kinds of support do you need?
13. What surprised you, if anything, about your responses to the above questions?
14. What do you now realize about your responses to change that you weren’t aware of previously?
15. What other questions would be helpful in assessing how you cope with change?
Based on your own response to change, what can you do to guide and support your team members in order to ease their adjustment to a new normal?
