Change is something we face every day. It’s unavoidable. You can do your best to resist change, but guess what? It still happens, whether you like it or not. Take Microsoft Office 2007, for example. It has completely changed. I mean, it looks and feels like a completely different program. Good-bye .doc files, hello .docx files. When I first opened Office 2007, it was like looking into an alien starship. Gizmos from another planet I’ve never seen before, tabs and colors. It took me awhile to find the “paste special” option on the menu. I thought I was fairly good to go with old Office 2000, but apparently I am an idiot with 2007. So how can we apply negative thinking to change? Follow me…
1. Before you change something, ask around. See what reactions will be to the change. Everyone will complain, because we fear change, but listen to the complaints. Separate the actual problems from the unwarranted anxieties. Usually you can find an easier way to implement the change. The complaints may highlight major issues you didn’t think about. Now Microsoft being who they are, they could care less if you don’t like the changes. They’re going to make the changes, shove down the market’s throat and let God sort out the rest. But for us mere mortals, we need to take some, not every, idea into consideration.
2. If you’re ready to make the change, find the “mouth”. The “mouth” is the person in your office that has the ear of the masses. Somehow, through sheer personality and guile, this person has some sway over the rest of the group. Find this person. Win this person over, first. Let the “mouth” work for you to spread the word about how fabulous the new change will be. Otherwise, the only change you will make will be changing your mind about the change. (Can I use the word change a few more times in THAT sentence? Sheesh.”)
3. Understand that change takes time. Don’t expect the change to be instantaneous, or accepted immediately. Sudden change can shake the confidence of the people it affects. No one likes to know it all one day, and be the “newbie” the next. Allow for the growing pains of change. Make sure people know that you expect them to change, but not change overnight.
But you know what? I’ll figure Office 2007 out sooner or later. Like change, it’s inevitable.
