I started this piece a while ago, reflecting on the new challenges I had taken on in the last couple of years and the lessons I have learnt, but given the current COVID-19 pandemic it feels even more relevant. We are all having to embrace change, learn new ways, overcome challenges and try things for the first time. We all of course react differently to change, some embrace it and love the feeling of the unexpected, others feel so out of their depth they can’t see a way forward. I am no expert, but here are a few of my tips and lastly my inspiration for being excited about the future, whatever it may mean!
My first tip is not to knee jerk, particularly when a change or challenge is unexpected. It is often tempting to react immediately but taking time to think it over, and consider, means you can see benefits or opportunities, even if you are not sure at that stage how to reach them.
Next is to make a list or a plan – I love a list or a spider! Breaking a challenge down, or considering both costs and benefits of a change, helps you be more objective and makes a challenge seem less daunting if you can see it in smaller chunks.
Third is to remember you are not alone, if you are facing this then the chances are someone else is too. Talking over and listening to people with different strengths and opinions to yourself can often help you reappraise a situation or see a solution you could not see before.
Fourth and related to the above, things not going to plan is a not a failure. The very nature of change and challenge means you often don’t know how things will turn out – that is ok. Taking risk (I like to say considered risk!) into the unknown can lead to great reward, but also you cannot predict the future, so quickly being able to see when things aren’t working out as you expect and adapting or rewinding to reflect on what you have learnt is an important part of getting things right.
My last tip is to be decisive. I spent quite a bit of time weighing up the pros and cons of my move to South Africa, but once I made the decision, I was consciously decisive of not thinking too much back over them. This helped me to focus on seeing the benefits of the decision, as opposed to thinking back over if I had done the right thing in the first place. This can be hard, but I find when I have adopted all the other tips, this one is easier!
Ultimately, change will always be unsettling, but in the words of the bravest, most courageous person I have ever known – say yes more, take the risk, because life is short and better to not have regrets.
These words, spoken to us by her best friend, at her funeral, after she died of secondary breast cancer. Vicki worked for MMR for over 10 years, she was a determined, dedicated, decisive person. Throughout her career with MMR Vicki strengths shone through and despite not being around any more her legacy lives on in the people she mentored, the training she set up and in all our hearts.
I was lucky enough to not just have Vicki as a friend, but also as line manager and coach early in my career. My foundation in market research comes from her and has given me the platform to jump from. Her final words inspired me to take the risk of going to South Africa, taking on my first leadership role. Yes, I was scared; Yes, I worried things might not work out; Yes, I doubted I was up to the job, but I took strength from her words to face these fears and embrace the challenge. I grew, I developed, I changed. I am so pleased I said yes, I took the risk, because no I don’t have regrets.
