I’ve changed my mind about change

I used to relish change. So much so that every two to five years I would make sweeping changes in life. 2000 was a great year – I changed jobs, crashed my car, split up with a long term girlfriend, moved house, twice, and met Mrs Everitt (wife not mum).  10 years and a 40^th birthday later I now find the new Coronation Street music and credits really disturbing. It’s just not the same and, worryingly, I find myself uttering what has been my Dad’s catch phrase all of my life – ‘leave it as it is’.  Also annoying is the incidental sound effects they’ve started adding to the Street. Listen and you’ll now hear distant police car sirens, cats meowing and all sorts. Which got me thinking. Am I becoming more change averse? Is it an age thing? Or does there come a point where change becomes a distraction?

Our daughter lost ‘Bunny’ yesterday. Bunny has been a family member for the last four years which, when you put it into perspective, is the whole of our daughter’s life. She loves bunny. When I shout, or she falls over, Bunny provides reassurance. We tried to retrace our steps today to find Bun, but he was nowhere to be found. Now, on the way back to the car our daughter started to be a bit whingy. She didn’t want to walk, she was cold, too hot, hungry, thirsty and wanted me to carry her. Typical four year old stuff. But it was only when she was in the car crying and repeating ‘Buuuuuunnnnnyyyyy’ that it occurred to me. The behaviour wasn’t just naughtiness, it was because the fact that she had lost Bun was sinking in and she was starting to feel the loss! Now I took the management approach – ‘well that’s what happens if you’re careless, you should learn to look after your things’. On reflection I doubt that will have sunk in. Maybe I should create a policy around looking after personal property?

What can we learn? We often include stuff on change management in our leadership workshops and the fundamental facts are that a) people take a bit of time to get used to change and b) as a manager the behaviour you see is not always what you might think. You will have spent countless hours thinking through your brilliant idea for change, but the first time your people hear about it, it will come as a major shock. They will need time to think it through in just the same way as you have and also to consider what it means for them. I doubt my daughter was actively resisting change this morning, but the loss of Bun will have a major impact on her emotionally.

It’s just lucky that ‘Uncle Mick’ has already bought her a new Disney Princess for her birthday. So, if you are thinking of implementing changes in your business then send your HR Manager to buy some Disney Princesses. Or Ben10s.