Self-Service Employee Engagement During Organizational Change

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." Maya Angelou

Lots of interest and answers exists in how to engage employees. How are those solutions working? I am not sure, but I am thinking of a way to guarantee its success: self-service employee engagement.

One of the books I am reading currently states that "many studies have revealed that the average person possesses from 500 to 700 different skills and abilities." Wow – that is quite a large number to work with. And, it sounds like a great platform to use in helping to know that there is no lack of new ways to think about personally engage and navigate through organizational change successfully.

Going through organizational change can be frustrating. Actually, I will guarantee that you will experience frustration at some time during the change. When working with clients, I may hear questions like these regarding the managing change:

• When is 'it' going to be over, to stop?
• Why should I do anything or pay attention to anything since things are going to change again in six months?
• I am so frustrated. Just tell me what to do, and I will go do it.
• Why can't I just do my job the same way I've been doing it for the past 25 years?

How about if you decide to take the bull by the horns (yep, that is my southern heritage coming out loud and clear) and choose ways that you can win in the game of managing change? Why not think about the skills you want to show your company or skills you want to further develop? There are a lot of unknowns during organizational change, so try to define the shaping and engaging of your involvement.

ACTION

1. Make a list of activities that you enjoy doing. These activities can be in your professional or personal life (i.e., managing a family requires significant management and organizational skills, patience and flexibility to name a few!).
2. Identify five to fifteen skills that are required to do that activity well.
3. Think about how you can apply either one or many of those skills to guide you and others through the current organizational change your company is under-going.
4. Give your ideas a try.

In the end, you and your company – or team, family, organization, school, etc. – will win. Victims need not apply.