In other words, how well prepared are you for change? One thing we do know is that change is certain—it simply becomes a matter of when and how. And “eyes wide shut”, that is, not anticipating, is a strategy loaded with vulnerability.
Over forty-five years ago, Bob Dylan released a song whose title rings as true today as it did in 1964: The times they are a-changin. Clearly the times are different today than in 1964. And once again we are engulfed in a major societal change.
There are 5 Key Changes we see that are impacting people in the workplace today:
1. Leaving the organization
A. Voluntarily
B. Involuntarily termination (for a variety of reasons)
2. Promotion from within
A. With previous management experience
B. With no or little management experience
3. Lateral Transfers
A. Intra-divisional
B. Inter-divisional
4. Protirement
5. A new job in a new organization
And the chances are if you are reading this, you’ve had or may soon be facing one of these changes. Also, there are distinctions that will influence differently the experience you have in several of these key change situations. (More about that in future blogs.)
Now that we are coming out of the devastating impact of the recent recession, we are starting to see more people leaving organizations voluntarily rather than involuntarily. The Wall Street Journal (5/12/10) reported that in the last two months more workers quit their jobs than were laid off. This is interesting, and perhaps an encouraging sign.
As the job market begins to open up, as demand for leadership (especially now as business models are changing and adapting to a new economic and marketplace reality), opportunities for are available for the well-prepared. We smile when we hear people talk about luck: “I was lucky to find a good job, I was lucky to find the right business partner, I was lucky that I started my business when I did.”We believe that luck, at least in the long term, has very little to do with success. As the old adage goes: luck is when opportunity meets preparedness.
Well, the opportunities are opening up. So, how prepared are you to take advantage of them?
On Thursday, we will provide Quick Tips on how to better prepare you for the changes ahead. If you have specific questions or comments you would like us to address, we welcome them.
Tony and Sara
Copyright 2010 Kubica and LaForest
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