When it's Time to Change - 5 Steps to Reinvent Your Work

By Kenneth W. Christian, Ph.D.
www.maxpotential.com

Feeling overwhelmed and behind? Complaining of boredom? Wishing for another assignment, boss or career option?

Unfortunately, many people ignore these internal messages:

• I'm fine the way I am.
• I've always done it this way in the past.
• It's the company's fault this is happening.
• If only...

The excuses are endless.

Instead of addressing the warning signs, many people continue working as they always have, producing the same if not fewer results, and then wonder why they get passed up for the promotion or recognition. 

Why do so many American workers behave this way? Quite simply: Fear. Fear of failure; fear of making a fool of themselves; fear of rocking the boat; and fear of upsetting whatever success they currently have. They're fearful of changing what they do or how they do it because they've developed self-defeating habits that keep them where they are. They then reinforce those habits and beliefs by repeating such phrases as: "I can't write reports," "I hate e-mail," and "I can't conduct a good meeting."

In this way they unconsciously narrow all the ways they could possibly change and improve their work life. Their thinking and their language make them believe that they can't change because it's simply not worth the effort.

In reality, change is possible for everyone. To simply desire it, however, is not enough. At a minimum it requires a clear-cut decision and a commit to work hard for a while. Unfortunately, those who limit their achievement and sabotage their efforts have habitually avoided such a commitment.

Therefore, to reinvent your work and make the most of your potential, you must revise your current thinking and develop new skills. But you can only do that if you have a clear idea of where you are going and a planned approach to getting there. Otherwise, like a housefly that keeps hurtling itself against a windowpane, you will repeatedly encounter invisible barriers.

If you're bored at work, wishing for that mysterious dream job or simply have the nagging feeling that something at work isn't "right," then a change may he in order for you. By following the five steps outlined below, you can make the change process smoother and more productive.

1. Listen
   The first step for change is called the pre-contemplation stage. This is the stage many people are habitually in. Something is wrong, but they're not sure what it is. They notice they're bored, that they're procrastinating with their work, and that they're spending more time daydreaming about their ideal job rather than working the one they currently have. They may be grumpy at work all day, and when they go home they feel as it they accomplished nothing. They get in the habit of calling in sick or finding some other excuse to not be in he office for the day.

   When this happens to you, don't ignore the feelings. Instead, listen to he feelings and go after them like heat-seeking missiles. Rather than allowing yourself to feel hummed out and depressed, ask, "What's really going on here?" You don't have to accept "that's just the way work is."

   When you listen to what your mind and body are telling you, you can begin to uncover the improvements you need to make to achieve a satisfying professional life.

2. Think
   Once you acknowledge that something in your work life isn't right, you move into the contemplation stage. This is when you put your finger on the true nature of the problem and begin to consider your options for change. For some people, this is an "a-ha!" moment, but for the majority, it's a gradual process.

   When you realize a change is necessary but are unsure of how or where to begin, ask yourself the following questions:

   • What is it about my current career that is not appealing to inn?
   • What am I leaving out of my professional life?
   • What am I including in my professional life that I don't need?

   In addition, talk to your friends and family to understand how they view your career and your work ethic. Review your old performance reviews and look for patterns in the comments. Many times prior managing partners have indicated that area where you need to change, but you dismissed the comments as irrelevant, no accurate or as coming from a "jerk".

   Now is the time to seriously think about the comments and feedback you've received in order to begin planning for your change.

3. Prepare
   After identifying what needs to change in your work life, it's time to make that change a concrete reality. This is the preparation stage, where people begin taking small, important and necessary steps to make the change happen. Some people enter this stage with a clear goal in mind, such as "I'm going to quit my job and become a college professor," while other people have a broad goal, such as "I need to change my attitude toward work." Either mindset is fine, depending on your situation. The important part is that you become mentally ready to embark on your new direction.

   The preparation stage may include researching information on the Internet, contacting headhunters, taking skills assessments and appraisals, and talking to a mentor. Use the information you gather to chart your upcoming course. Realize that at this point you can still modify your direction. For example, you may find that quitting your job isn't necessary and that you simply need alter your approach to better utilize your skills.

   During the preparation phase outsiders first notice your new direction. They see you as extremely feverish and industrious. You're no longer moping and complaining. You're gathering information, talking people and investigating all your options. In the, midst of this activity frenzy, however, don't get stuck in the preparation phase, If you do, you'll only continue to hurt yourself because you'll never put your plans into motion.

4. Act
   All the best-laid plans mean nothing if you don't act on them. That's why the action stage is so important. While the preparation stage is when you lay the groundwork, the action stage is when you actually enroll in a new program, give notice at your job or buy the franchise to start your new business. This is when you cross the line, get on the boat and leave the dock to embark on your new direction.

   You'll know the action stage is underway when you start to feel awkward and think that things are unpleasant. Those are the signs that you've moved out of completely safe territory and are embarking on something new. People who advance professionally, who continually hone their skills and who keep growing are those who get accustomed to feeling a little awkward and operating outside of the comfortable sense of having everything controlled.

   In the action stage, change spreads throughout all aspects of your life. Things you mulled and incubated for years now unfold quickly. As you change, you develop new affiliations with people who support your efforts and who help you reach your career goals.

5. Maintain
   After the flurry of activity in the action step, you need to lock in and maintain your progress and not revert to old, destructive behaviors. Unfortunately, maintenance is the crucial step that most people neglect. They start the new job or open the new business, but then once again they do things the way they had in their previous career, which puts them exactly where they started.

   You may have heard that forming a new habit or changing a behavior takes 21 days. That is, if you do something entirely new consistently for a period of three weeks, the activity gets etched into your life as a habit. This is certainly good advice, but the problem with such a timeframe is that as you embark on your new endeavor, you're going to face challenges. And when an unexpected setback occurs, people become anxious and stressed. Even though they have new habits in place, they quickly drop them and revert to the old habits.

   So change is more than developing a new habit. It's about revising your life. Think about your professional change like a business model. Successful companies don't change once and then lock in that course for the next 50 years. Just as the company is always evolving as challenges come up, you have to as well. That's why the maintenance phase is about adapting, living and nurturing your new behavior or outlook so you can stabilize it as you reshape your career.

Change for the Better

The good thing about change is that when you successfully make a positive, solid and major change of direction, you learn how to make future changes. In time, changing both your professional and personal life becomes easier as you know what to expect, including the setbacks. With the proper change strategy in place, you can reinvent your work and truly attain the career of your dreams.

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Kenneth Christian, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with more than 25 years experience. He is author of the book, Your Own Worst Enemy: Breaking the Habit of Adult Underachievement (Regan Books! HarperCollins). A speaker and organizational consultant, he is an expert on workplace/organizational achievement. For more information visit www.maxpotential.com.