The first lesson in the Foundations module is that one certainty in life is change.

The statement that one certainty in life is change may seem obvious when we say or read it, yet often we do not prepare for it when it happens to us or learn how to implement it well when it is required.

Are you anticipating change?

What strategies do you have in place for
when the inevitable change occurs?

Do you have contingency plans?

Our ability to cope with change is intimately linked to our ability to self-manage.

We need to be able to:

• Manage the emotional roller-coaster
• Be proactive—expecting change will come and be prepared in advance
• Have a positive outlook that enables us to see the opportunities, rather than focussing on the problems
• Have the skills to communicate in a meaningful way to those close to us so we both allow them to stay close and provide emotional support to them—including managing any conflicts in a constructive way
• Be able to identify the needs which may not be being met, both for ourselves or others
• Recognise that people will respond out of their individual personality styles and needs, and that their responses and appropriate responses to them will not necessarily be the same as for ourselves or others
• Understand that what impacts on one area of our life, influences others. For example, an emotional crisis will impact on our spirituality.

Our ability to implement and manage change in a wider setting requires our ability to manage:

• Mindsets
• Have appropriate rules
• Use appropriate leadership models
• Stay focussed on the target
• Manage people’s emotions

Actually, you can use the same five criteria when managing yourself in a time of change.

If change is a certainty, how ready are you for it?