The start of the New Year at work can always be a slow one. Many of us are still riding that holiday high and it feels like we’re slowly getting back in the mix. For some people though, the start of the New Year also means an opportunity for change.
This does not also just mean personally. Professionally, the start of the New Year also means being able to work on new ideas and opportunities from the ground up. It can also mean taking up new responsibilities or adapting to a previously uncharted direction your company may be taking.
From the outset, this can be a little daunting. There’s a lot to look forward to. Let’s look at some ways you can adapt to changes in 2019.
Change is constant
Let’s be frank for a bit. In order for anything – or anyone – to succeed today, they have to be open to change. Whether it’s adopting a business model like offshoring or a personal shift, change becomes inevitable. It can be scary at times, but it also opens up new opportunities for growth and development.
Consider Google for a moment. When it was launched in 1998, it was just another search engine with a new approach. Today, calling Google as just a “search engine” undermines what the company can offer consumers. Think about the different products and services Google has available today compared to what it was in its first few years.
Change is a constant reality that everyone must adapt to. Professionally, what’s great about change is that it challenges your current norms. By resisting change, you prevent yourself from expanding on your skills and working on new projects. This is why you can look at the New Year as the chance to learn new skills as well. Assess the skills your new role requires and see what you can do in developing them. This helps increase your value to your company for the New Year.
Communicate And Ask Questions
Unless they’ve been asked already, there is no such thing as a bad question. Some people feel hesitant asking questions, but doing so helps in understanding the current situation better. You get to learn more about what’s coming up and what you can do to help in your current capacity.
Communication helps form stronger bonds among co-workers.
As you ease into changes for the New Year, it’s likely you will have questions about it. To that end, asking questions also shows how committed you are to the objectives given to you. You develop in new roles much better and lets others know you are eager to adapt to these new changes.
Remember that the more you know about changes, the better equipped you become to take on what the New Year will bring. Much like offshoring, there is no better time to ask questions than now as 2019 begins.
A Positive Attitude Goes A Long Way
It’s probably the most cliché statement you will hear at any company, but it is also one of the truest things. Maintaining a good, positive attitude is needed regardless of where you work. It’s understandable, however, when it feels like changes might not be perfect but your previous situation probably wasn’t either.
Consider what your skills are and how you can maximize yourself with these changes. You can look at change as an opportunity for the New Year.
Paying It Forward
Perhaps one aspect of change that most don’t realize is how you can make it easier for others. One of the best ways to embrace change in the New Year is to help others feel at ease in doing it. Doing this makes others in the same situation feel more comfortable since someone is helping them along the way. In turn, this creates a stronger rapport among you and your fellow co-workers who can help each other navigate through these new waters.
Welcoming The New Year
There is plenty to be excited about for what 2019 can bring. For some, they carry their successes from the previous year and seeing how they can improve further. For others, the start of the year means a clean slate that they shape into whatever they want.
Regardless of where you stand, change should always be welcomed instead of resisted. Breaking out of one’s comfort zone can seem uncertain, but staying in it keeps things stagnant. There is more to gain and benefit from when change is adapted to, and there is no greater time to do it than at the start of this New Year.
