Death By A Thousand Paper Cuts

There has been a lot written about the impact of change.  Mostly, the authors discuss dealing with big change – mergers, reorganizations, new technology, plant closings and other tidal wave type phenomena.  These are events that happen once, have large a impact that shakes people up, change things visibly, but then transition and leave some definable “new normal” in their wake. 

 Lately, though, we’ve heard a few comments from people that go something like this: “I can handle the big changes.  That’s something I’ve gotten used to.  What’s wearing me out is the steady stream of nagging little things that keep changing in our business.  It never stops; it keeps us just a little bit off balance and makes it hard to find solid ground to stand on.  It’s driving me crazy and there isn’t anything I can do to control it.”

 It might be a software upgrade that can’t be postponed or critical devices won’t be able to communicate with each other.  It could be a new piece of equipment that does exactly the same thing as the slightly older equipment right beside it, but has a totally different control panel that people will need to learn.  Or a new procedure a customer or supplier is putting in place.  Or continual tweaking of various regulations. Or the constant challenge of finding and hiring good people….on and on – it’s not just one thing, it’s a whole lot of things that just keep coming. 

 Change causes stress, and constant small increments of change create a gradual, cumulative stress impact.  While a certain amount of stress is healthy and keeps our systems toned and ready for activity, too much is harmful.  Creeping, incremental change can gradually raise the level of stress we’re exposed to without our being conscious of what’s happening.  Small stressors, each one a paper cut, begin to accumulate faster than they heal. Eventually, they begin to take a toll, draining away energy and creating a feeling of weariness that’s hard to cope with because there is no single, identifiable cause.

 While a single large change event can be planned for and managed, dealing with the uncontrollable stream of micro-change facing leaders and employees alike in the current and future business environment requires a different approach. We can’t plan for the many things we can’t control or foresee, but we can prepare ourselves by developing personal resilience.

 Resilience is the ability to adapt well and rebound when faced with unexpected challenges.  It may well be the critical skill set for thriving in the twenty-first century.  According to author Daryl R. Conner, resilient people have five characteristics. They are: 

 Positive and Solution Centered

Resilient people cultivate their capacity for optimism.  They tend to see life as complicated, but filled with opportunities.  Difficulties and setbacks may arise, but they are temporary and solutions can be found.  And for the perpetual pessimists, yes, optimism can be cultivated.  Check out “Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life,” by Martin Seligman.

 Focused

They have a clear vision of what they want to accomplish.  They set goals, create strategies, find solutions and solve problems.

 Flexible

When faced with uncertainty, they are adaptable.  They admit and face their fears, and keep moving forward.

 Organized and Action Oriented

They have a knack for developing structured approaches that enable them to manage ambiguity. They plan, prioritize and take action.

 Proactive and Learn From Experience

Resilient people accept and engage change rather than try to defend against it.  They take calculated risks, learn as they go and apply lessons learned.

 Developing personal resilience is the key to surviving the thousand paper cuts of daily change. While these characteristics may be more natural for some people than others, they are abilities that everyone can develop and improve. It may take some time and practice, but it can be done.