When and how to jump into change or new skills

Standing at the edge of a freezing cold lake, I wanted to get in but was waffling.  I waded in a little bit and let my feet go numb.  Lake Huron is cold, even in the summer.  Standing half in and half out, I got cold.  I made it worse than if I’d just run into the water. My kids were splashing me and laughing, “just get in mum!!”  There’s no graceful, dignified way to freeze your buns off in a cold lake. Finally, I just took a deep breath and took the plunge.  My legs tingled from the cold water for hours afterwards, but every second was worth it!

When is the right time for something bracing and uncomfortable, but something we want to accomplish or do?  Do you wade in, or run in with wild abandon, screaming all the way?

I’ve often felt like this as a leader- is there ever a right time to take on change?  We know it will be uncomfortable.  Most of the time, your team isn’t already joyfully frolicking in the new initiative and pulling you along with them.  It’s often the leader who has to go first, or who has to lead the charge of the team running into the water together and coaxing the timid and the curmudgeonly into the water. And hopefully the discomfort will be worth it.

This summer and fall mark some new initiatives I am leading at MKB Strategic and with client work.  Among them, I’m heading to Germany to present a project I’ve worked on with Community Veterinary Outreach for the past year as part of the Social Innovation Hubs program.  It involves a Pecha Kucha talk (similar to a shortened TED style talk).  I’m also heading to Las Vegas in December to deliver 8 x 7 min presentations as part of the AAEP BURST Business presentations (another new format).  We’re also undergoing a renovation at home.  Among client work and life on our farm and at home, I’ve had to make space to learn these new things and plan forward for the change and newness ahead.

Here are some ways I use to assess if the time is right for taking the plunge on something new, scary, or leading your team through it. And if it isn’t the right time but I have to do it anyway, how can you make it more feasible?

1)        How confident are you that this will go well?

I learned this from a colleague, Dr. Renee MacDougall from Bond Vet. In a discussion session we did with new grads, Renee talked about “what % confident are you in your plan and ability?”  So, if you’re 50% confident you can get the job done and the payoff is worth it, then that’s great- but at 50% confidence, you need to seek support.  If you’re more than 75% certain, you’re probably well on your way with moderate support/advice. This is paired with the risk of it going wrong- life or death surgery, apply a more cautious margin.

2)        Where’s your own resilience at?

It takes a lot of energy to be the team cheerleader to coax the timid, maintain the enthusiasm and cajole the curmudgeons.  It takes a lot of energy to do that for yourself if you’re learning a new skill!  If you are low on resilience and not coping well, it IS up to you as a leader to free up time and emotional energy to ensure you can be a good leader, call in supports/reinforcements, or to punt change into a different timeframe. 

3)        Is your circle of support at the ready and adequate?

Who can you call when you need support or when you waiver in your faith in change?  Are they at the ready, or a list of people you haven’t called in 10 years?  Are these the right people and experts you need around you?  If you are light in this area, a coach can be a really helpful resource to be a thought partner to think through challenges.  Change and new things are hard; you don’t have to make it harder on yourself by going it alone.  A super smart friend of mine recently finished writing a book.  This is her second book, and this time she hired a book coach.  I had no idea these existed, but she invested in making the process much easier for herself this time and it paid off.  The book is amazing, and I can’t wait to get my own hard copy.

4)        Know yourself

If you are someone who overthinks if given the chance (aka me half way into the lake), then sometimes jumping in before you are 100% ready is a good plan.  If you tend to overcommit way too early and then panic later, commit when you are more ready than less and remember to ask yourself the question below.  And when we aren’t given a choice on change or learning something new, then think back to a time when you have managed change. What helped you on your hardest days?  What made life easier and helped you show up well?

Ending coaching questions:

If you’re considering learning something new, or leading your team through change, here are my top self-coaching questions to consider:

• How confident are you in your skills to navigate this well?  (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%)

• Given the % confidence you assessed, what supports do you need to call in or call on to make this manageable?

• What additional expertise do you need to do this well?

• What activities can you start doing or stop doing to ensure you have a resilience reserve to move through this time without burning out?

• What has helped you in other times of change?

If you’re looking for support for yourself and your team as you navigate change or learn something new, I’m here.