Wednesday 7 March 2012

Adapting to Change

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change" - Charles Darwin

Humans are a creature of habit; having to change our behaviours and patterns is frustrating because it removes us from our comfort zone, and instills a feeling of powerlessness. Whilst certain people will promote their love of new beginnings and surroundings, I have come to realise that we only truly embrace a change that is made on our own terms.

Adapting to change is one of the most essential life skills a person can have. Three out of four employees will demonstrate significant difficulty adapting to change; this costs a business money. Change, however, is crucial and an unavoidable repercussion of progressive growth.

Some of the obstacles we face - according to psychologist, Dennis O'Grady - may include:

  • Fear of the unknown
  • Fear of failure
  • Fear of commitment
  • Fear of disapproval
  • Fear of success
Basically, humans are reactively frightened of change. We adopt a sense of panic; presume a loss of control. Predict a feeling of failure if we commit to goals associated with the change. Begin questioning "what do I really want?" and realising that the imposed change may eliminate our options. Even when we accept the change, there is the underlying feeling that questions our expectations; if I change, what other demands will be expected of me, and can I sustain this success?





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