Today, given everything happening in our country, I have a very timely topic. 

Recently, I delivered a talk for one of my dear clients titled “Embracing the Unknown: Developing Resilience Through a Growth Mindset.” And I know many of us will be impacted regardless of the outcome of the upcoming US election. 

While I don’t want to dive into political discussions, I want to explore a unifying theme with you today and relate this to our ability to manage change and move forward constructively, no matter the external circumstances.

It’s common for an organization to struggle with implementing change and transformation due to fear and uncertainty. Employees frequently express anxiety about change, and as much as companies talk about resistance to change, we need tools to cope effectively.

If this resonates with you, I think you’ll benefit from the insights I share today.

Increasing Self-Awareness and Emotional Intelligence

The first step in developing resilience is to assess how you handle change. Self-awareness is a crucial part of emotional intelligence.

I invite you to reflect on how you think about change in general. What emotions does it bring up? How have you and your company dealt with change in the past?

This reflection will provide critical insights into your patterns and how you’ve historically navigated transformations.

Shifting from a Fixed Mindset to a Growth Mindset

The next step is to examine your mindset. If you only focus on hurdles, challenges, and risks, it indicates a fixed mindset. This perspective can limit your ability to adapt, learn, and move forward constructively.

When you adopt a growth mindset, you’re not just looking at the difficulties—you’re also exploring the opportunities that change presents. Consider how the change could make your team stronger. Furthermore, what skills might you need to develop to execute new processes effectively? What might your team need to learn as a result of the change to propel you forward? What are the planning and resource gaps that need to be addressed?

With this mindset shift, you will remain realistic, more resourceful, and optimistic about managing change. 

Managing Human Needs During Change

Change can be disruptive because it injects an element of uncertainty, which can cause anxiety. However, remember that your company has overcome change and can do it again. There is a way to implement change in a productive way that limits the likelihood of anxiety and uncertainty.

A significant part of dealing with change is considering the human needs of the people involved. Every human has six fundamental needs: certainty, uncertainty (variety), significance, connection, growth, and contribution. 

Let’s look at each human need and how it relates to change:

Certainty. Humans crave stability and safety, and when change threatens that, it injects uncertainty, which can bring up negative emotions and cause anxiety. By sharing what we know during these times, we provide whatever certainty we can among the unknown.

Uncertainty or variety. If we knew everything that would happen, the world would be pretty dull, so every human craves variety. Change inherently generates great uncertainty, which must be managed to avoid extreme overwhelm.

Significance. Everyone wants to feel important and valued, like they matter. During change, people’s sense of value can plummet as their roles feel threatened, so team members need to know that their work is valued and essential for the company’s growth.

Connection. This is people’s need for belonging. Open communication keeps everyone aligned and reduces the sense of isolation. People need to feel connected to their leaders, their peers, and the organization, so by staying in close communication with your team and checking in, you maintain trust and support their emotional well-being. 

Growth. This is the human need to learn and expand. During time’s of change growth is inevitable whether it’s learning new skills, adopting new procedures, or navigating new systems. Change encourages development. 

Contribution. Lastly, there is a need to be of service and leave the world a bit better than when we found it. Employees often thrive when feeling involved and providing value to their organization. When we acknowledge that contribution is essential, we create a culture where people feel empowered to offer their insights and assistance.

Signs of a Fixed Mindset

How do you recognize patterns of a fixed mindset and move past them?

A fixed mindset might manifest itself in phrases such as “We’ve always done it that way,” “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” and “What’s the point? It’s not going to change.” These expressions signify resistance to change and innovation.

On the other hand, a growth-minded, resilient organization views setbacks as opportunities for learning. Leaders with a growth mindset understand that it’s not about whether they’ll get knocked down but how they’ll get back up and what they’ll learn in the process. 

It’s about managing the unknown together and figuring things out as you go. This mindset fosters transparency, encourages constructive feedback, and keeps the team moving forward despite the uncertainty.

Growing Through Change

In times of significant change, leadership presence is crucial and an opportunity to role-model resilience. Leaders must be visible, transparent, and clear about what they know and don’t to effectively lead through change and consider the six human needs, creating a sustainable learning environment where everyone feels valued and supported. 

Here are three strategies we recommend to productively and sustainable implement change in your organization:

• Increase your self-awareness: Reflect on how you and your team handle change and recognize whether you respond from a fixed or growth mindset.

• Shift to a growth mindset: Focus on the opportunities that change brings and plan for the skills and resources needed to succeed.

• Address the six human needs: During periods of change, ensure that your team’s needs, including certainty, uncertainty, significance, connection, growth, and contribution, are considered.

When you assess how you handle change, you consider the challenges of managing the unknown and uncertainty. This will make your organization more resilient and better equipped to navigate swiftly and effectively.

Our leaders lead the charge and can either support or hinder change and innovation based on their perception and mindset around change. Developing your leaders to shift into a growth mindset is crucial for their well–being and that of the company. Let’s connect to discuss how we can support you in developing your leaders. Email us at info@executivebound.com

Embracing the unknown will make us more resilient and our organizations more innovative and successful.

Live with purpose, live with joy!

Coach Ginny