Change Management

What Our Kids Can Teach Us about Change Management

For working parents like me, this time of year is all about change, transition and new beginnings. Social media is teeming with photos of cute kids holding signs celebrating the milestone of their upcoming school year. These kids are all smiles looking forward into the unknown with optimism and excitement.

What can we, as leaders, learn from how the little people in our life approach change, transition, and new beginnings? Frankly, most kids I know are able to adjust better and faster than many adults, and even seem to enjoy the process.

My son who turns 5 this month is a phenomenal teacher in this area. In the past 8 months our family has changed almost everything he knew to be true. We moved to a new state, he changed schools twice, has new teachers, new friends, new routines even new seasons (hello Pacific Northwest).

When I think about it, change happens because of chance, choice or crisis.

As experts Ann Salerno and Lilly Brock remind us, how we interpret change has a significant impact on how we experience it. Although my husband and I chose all of these changes, my son could have experienced them as chance or crisis—and instead, full of anticipation and enthusiasm, he experiences all of this as a big adventure.

In my research on this topic, I came across this simple idea: change is inevitable, suffering is optional—we cannot always control what life throws our way, however we do have the ability to notice how our attitude impacts our experience.

My leadership challenge for you is this: practice shifting your mindset as it relates to the changes and transitions that this time of year brings to all of us. Making a small attitudinal shift and viewing these changes as opportunities for growth, innovation and creativity could welcome possibilities and solutions instead of roadblocks and problems. Posting the photo on Facebook of how joyful you feel once you realize how much attitude matters is totally up to you.

Enjoy the journey.

Jennifer Albrecht, Vice President of Professional Development, has been teaching and consulting with Learn iT! since 1997. Since joining Learn iT!, Jennifer has built and facilitated all of Learn iT!’s Professional Development classes including Communication, Leadership, Negotiating and Decision Making.

Jennifer strongly believes in Learn iT!’s 8 Step Model for Learning and applies it in all of the classes she builds and facilitates. Further information on the 8 Step Model can be found here.