I am a big professional wrestling fan. Stone Cold Steve Austin always says that when things go wrong, you have to improvise, adapt, and overcome. Things go wrong all the time in a wrestling match. While the outcome is scripted, sometimes things just happen in a match or interview and you have to adjust on the fly. Steve's words make a ton of sense in that context, but I think you can apply them to real life as well.
The motto "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome" is actually the slogan of the Marines that allows them to deal with physical, mental, and emotional hardship (Cox, 2018). Wrestlers certainly don't have the same stresses that Marines do, and neither do I. However, Cox provided a couple ways to implement this philosophy. My personal favorite is to "Train Your Brain" (Cox, 2018). Cox (2018) suggested that the best way to fight negative thoughts is to immediately think of something positive when a negative thought creeps in. That way, you build your brain into habitually thinking positive when things start to go wrong. I've always wondered how people deal with negative thoughts. I seem to get stuck to them. This may be the answer I've been looking for.
I had a quick trip to New Jersey this weekend. In order to make it work, I had to alter my schoolwork schedule tremendously. I even needed to take my laptop with me to do work, something I've never done on a vacation. However, the trip was worth it to me so I found a way to improvise, adapt, and overcome. I enjoyed my trip tremendously and found out that I could make a change to my habits by just preparing. This seems like the kind of attitude I can carry into every change I face going forward.
Cox, J. (2018, January 26). Improvise, adapt, and overcome: Life lessons we can learn from the Marines. Retrieved from https://www.jessicacox.com/improvise-adapt-and-overcome-life-lessons-we-can-learn-from-the-marines/
Saturday, July 27, 2019
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Week 2 - Is this a test?
I've had this feeling in a couple of classes now, but I think this one is the proof: This entire program is a test. This class is called Change Management. The way the professor grades and conducts the class is so unlike every other class I've had thus far. It's a massive change and I swear it's a test. It's a test to see if you can adapt and how you will handle the new expectations. I'll admit that my first reaction was a mix of anger and sadness. Once I faced the fear that drove those emotions, I was good and ready to go. I just needed to know what was actually expected of me. Once I had that, I was off.
Here's the biggest difference between this change and some of the ones I've dealt with professionally: This one was communicated. If you asked a question, you were given the answer you needed. If you asked for help, you got it. The teacher is a subject matter expert and is prone to giving good advice. Better yet, she asks questions to get you to think. While the grading is much tougher, I love it. You can't reach excellence without finding out how far you can push yourself.
I'm sure some of my fellow students are not happy with this class. That's fine. You can't be a lion if your leader is a sheep. (I did not make this up, but I can't find a direct attribution to quote.) This class is like a whetstone for the skills I've learned thus far. My blade is being honed and is ready for battle. Like I said in week 1, "I WILL get an A." I'm just working much harder for it than I've had to.
Honestly, this class is a prime example of what's wrong with the company I work for. When you let people skate by, nobody becomes better. You have to challenge people in order to find out who your stars are. More importantly, you can't tolerate people who aren't keeping up.
Once again, this entire program has proven to be an eye-opener for me. While I will be incredibly relieved when it's done, I will certainly miss the challenges I faced every week.
Here's the biggest difference between this change and some of the ones I've dealt with professionally: This one was communicated. If you asked a question, you were given the answer you needed. If you asked for help, you got it. The teacher is a subject matter expert and is prone to giving good advice. Better yet, she asks questions to get you to think. While the grading is much tougher, I love it. You can't reach excellence without finding out how far you can push yourself.
I'm sure some of my fellow students are not happy with this class. That's fine. You can't be a lion if your leader is a sheep. (I did not make this up, but I can't find a direct attribution to quote.) This class is like a whetstone for the skills I've learned thus far. My blade is being honed and is ready for battle. Like I said in week 1, "I WILL get an A." I'm just working much harder for it than I've had to.
Honestly, this class is a prime example of what's wrong with the company I work for. When you let people skate by, nobody becomes better. You have to challenge people in order to find out who your stars are. More importantly, you can't tolerate people who aren't keeping up.
Once again, this entire program has proven to be an eye-opener for me. While I will be incredibly relieved when it's done, I will certainly miss the challenges I faced every week.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Week 1 - An Introduction
The syllabus says we're supposed to continue our Leadership class blog. I have felt like it's been better to do a new blog every time. If you'd like to reference my previous blogs, here's a couple links:
Leadership - https://steveoleadership.blogspot.com/2018/08/in-beginning.html
Conflict Resolution - https://resolvingthoseconflicts.blogspot.com/2019/03/week-1-time-to-get-resolving.html
I actually really enjoy writing these because it gives you a chance for introspection and the setting of expectations for yourself. I wish this was a requirement for every class because it's a really powerful learning tool.
As far as expectations for the class go, I only have one: I will get an A. When I started this MBA program, I wasn't worried about grades. As I went, I kept getting As. When I got an A in Quantitative Analysis, I knew there was a chance I could finish this with a 4.0. That's what I intend to do.
The way the posting requirements are written makes it seem like a lot more work than other classes. It's not, it's just spread out more. I do appreciate the DQs so I don't mind. When they are done well, I learn a ton from those posts. I think it's really about the feedback you get from your peers.
I'm particularly excited about the Application of Change Models activity. The place I work is incredibly resistant to change so I doubt I'll ever get to use it there. What I will get to do is lay out how I think things could go which will be a great application of the skills I will learn in this class. Newell (2018) said "The first major step toward successful change management is having a clear understanding of the approach you are looking to employ within your organization." My company's approach is no approach. Nothing is ever communicated clearly. Things leak out in whispers and hushed tones. Nothing formal is ever said. It's all treated like something bad. Even if it is something bad, you still have to approach it in a way that helps everyone adjust to the new norm. I think one of our major problems in that area is that our HR department is lackluster at best. Newell (2018) believed that the HR department was integral to the change management process, saying "Ensuring that your HR team has the right tools and innovative approach for managing change is an important step in change management." I know we don't have those skills in place.
I'm actually really excited to learn in this class. I feel like this is the type of thing managers need to know, but few actually do. Having a solid understanding of the ideas that make up this topic will provide many benefits to my current job and anywhere I go afterwards.
References
Newell, C. (2018, July 20). Change As An Opportunity: A Strategic Approach To Change
Management. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil
/2018/07/20/change-as-an-opportunity-a-strategic-approach-to-change-management
/#49fdfbe32241
Leadership - https://steveoleadership.blogspot.com/2018/08/in-beginning.html
Conflict Resolution - https://resolvingthoseconflicts.blogspot.com/2019/03/week-1-time-to-get-resolving.html
I actually really enjoy writing these because it gives you a chance for introspection and the setting of expectations for yourself. I wish this was a requirement for every class because it's a really powerful learning tool.
As far as expectations for the class go, I only have one: I will get an A. When I started this MBA program, I wasn't worried about grades. As I went, I kept getting As. When I got an A in Quantitative Analysis, I knew there was a chance I could finish this with a 4.0. That's what I intend to do.
The way the posting requirements are written makes it seem like a lot more work than other classes. It's not, it's just spread out more. I do appreciate the DQs so I don't mind. When they are done well, I learn a ton from those posts. I think it's really about the feedback you get from your peers.
I'm particularly excited about the Application of Change Models activity. The place I work is incredibly resistant to change so I doubt I'll ever get to use it there. What I will get to do is lay out how I think things could go which will be a great application of the skills I will learn in this class. Newell (2018) said "The first major step toward successful change management is having a clear understanding of the approach you are looking to employ within your organization." My company's approach is no approach. Nothing is ever communicated clearly. Things leak out in whispers and hushed tones. Nothing formal is ever said. It's all treated like something bad. Even if it is something bad, you still have to approach it in a way that helps everyone adjust to the new norm. I think one of our major problems in that area is that our HR department is lackluster at best. Newell (2018) believed that the HR department was integral to the change management process, saying "Ensuring that your HR team has the right tools and innovative approach for managing change is an important step in change management." I know we don't have those skills in place.
I'm actually really excited to learn in this class. I feel like this is the type of thing managers need to know, but few actually do. Having a solid understanding of the ideas that make up this topic will provide many benefits to my current job and anywhere I go afterwards.
References
Newell, C. (2018, July 20). Change As An Opportunity: A Strategic Approach To Change
Management. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil
/2018/07/20/change-as-an-opportunity-a-strategic-approach-to-change-management
/#49fdfbe32241
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