You go to the office and find out that the way you work is going to change. What!?! would be your first reaction. But what you do next will dictate if you are a square in the face of change.
Those who have a healthy ILM mindset will become curious, wanting to know more of what is happening. They will participate in the meetings, voicing their concerns, and collaborating to make the change effectively a good thing. They will be receptive, accepting the change and wanting to be part of the team. As the change materializes, they will support the roll out, promoting its adoption. These are change agents with a circular behavioral way of thinking. They may not be fully bought in at the beginning of the change, but they are willing to listen.
If on the other hand, when hearing of the possible change, they keep to the sidelines, far from this change. They decide to avoid it, hoping it will go away. When that doesn’t work and they hear that things are in motion for the change to occur, they resist being part of the team to make this happen, hoping it will fail. As the change gets rolled out, they stay defiant, fighting the change. As a last resort, they get aggressive, start badmouthing the change and being disruptive in meetings. They have neither bought into change nor have they listened to what it’s about. They are simply going to stay on the peripheral of the change, as long as they can, and thus, they are considered squares.
Drawing a straight line to any situation, instead of following its course will not only make your days seem longer at work, but it’ll stress you out and make you unbearable to others. Talking it out, listening to people around you, digesting the information, discussing the change, and making sure your voice is heard in a productive way will help your sanity. Next time you find yourself in a similar situation, remember this diagram and tell yourself you’re going to be part of the change instead of being a square!