LEADERSHIP


This is, perhaps, where we most commonly fall down. Equally,


people can change at any age, and the excuse that ‘too much change will make you sick’ is clearly not going to be given any credence by an experienced nurse and clinician like Dr Lapp.


Just do it! So what to do? Having looked at countless studies, including the experiences of the military, the three traits of optimism, emotional resilience and flexibility, plus courage and mental toughness, are the attitudes that will pull people through change and equip individuals and teams to capitalise on the opportunities that abound. For relocation professionals working with people at their most


vulnerable times, changing jobs, environments and lifestyles, the disruption of a move is a fork in the road where your expertise, encouragement and support will help see them through. On emotional resilience, the warning from Dr Lapp was not to


hide from challenges and wait and see, but to act. Not to be deterred by those in denial, the negative blockers, was also crucial. “Those resistant to change are like blocked pipes; they are solid


of change


mining industry, and cost cutting across the technology sector, the message was timely. “This is the right place and time to be in mobility. This is the perfect time to take charge and make a difference,” proclaimed Dr Lapp.


Debunking the myths Of course, people and organisations do flourish in a downturn, and there are plenty of opportunities for individuals and companies with the right mindset. Janet Lapp cited the Harvard Business Review, which looked at


4,700 public companies and analysed the 9 per cent that flourished, finding that improving processes, training, communication, research and development all had an impact. According to Dr Lapp, 70 per cent of change efforts fail because


beliefs about change are completely wrong. She set about debunking six popular myths – starting with the assertion that people don’t like change. In her experience, it is not that people don’t like change, but rather that they don’t like losing control. Confusion is not a sign of mental weakness – any reading around


transition and change explains the stages that organisations and individuals experience. Personality is not fixed, and the excuse ‘it’s the way I am’ is a cop out. Janet Lapp rebutted the well-worn view that people take time to adjust


to change, stating categorically that people can change immediately, but you need to be “super simple” and really clear about where you are going.


and quiet. They are probably sabotaging you and you don’t even know it,” she explained. With regard to courage and mental toughness, you have to “just


do it”. Complaining is a waste of energy, as is fretting about things you can’t control. “Letting it go” will free up valuable time and energy and help you switch into a powerful mindset.


Opportunities, not problems Dr Lapp’s own personal stories about the power of the human spirit in adversity touched and inspired her audience. HR professionals and all those involved in engagement within


their businesses know these things to be true, but it takes a speaker of the calibre of Dr Lapp, with the health professional’s and academic background, the psychology training, and the genuine personal experiences to unlock the cynicism that may return when you are back in the office. Janet Lapp certainly has the gift of making human connections, and


her effervescent personality, natural humour, and boundless energy were infectious. Discovering opportunities, rather than problems and losses, in rapid change was her underlying message. If you can help create an environment open to change, demonstrate


resilience, and inject your own powerful stories and experiences to tackle change and the challenges it brings, your organisation should be set to innovate, flourish, and respond to new opportunities as they occur, whatever the state of the economy. Fit for change, and fit for the future.


Dr Janet Lapp, courtesy of the Canadian Employee Relocation Council


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