Embracing Change in the Workplace as a Leader
The workplace is going through a period of tremendous change right now. After being forced to push their employees to work remotely with little notice many companies have decided to make the change to remote work permanent, while other businesses are shifting to permanent hybrid work models in an effort to meet employees’ demands for more work-life balance and flexibility.
Some leaders are willfully rolling with the punches, while others are struggling to adapt to the changes. Many of us have been conditioned to be averse to change — especially when we have established ourselves as leaders by working a certain way. But embracing change in the workplace as a leader can lead to positive growth for yourself, your company and your employees.
As a leader, embracing change makes you more adaptable when challenges arise. If you are rigid and stuck in your ways, it is likely more difficult to combat unanticipated difficulties when they fall into your path. Learning to go with the flow and have an open-minded approach to changing work culture and processes will ultimately help you become a more versatile leader.
Beyond becoming more adaptable, embracing change can help you become an overall stronger leader. When you resist change in the workplace, you’re also resisting opportunities to improve and grow as leader within your company. This may hinder you from growing the organization, advancing into more challenging roles, and even connecting with your employees.
If you find that you shy away from change in the workplace and shut down suggestions to depart from the ways things have always been done, attempt to be more open-minded the next time an employee suggests a policy or process update. You may be pleasantly surprised at the results, and you could find that employees are more apt to suggest ideas that may have a big reward for the company as a whole. Embracing change goes hand-in-hand with embracing risk, and if your employees know you’re open to previously unproven strategies, they’re more likely to bring new ideas to the table and, in turn, propel the company toward unprecedented growth.
Interested in in learning to embrace change and propel your company to new heights? Reach out today for a free coaching session.