Keeping an open mind

I went into work depressed. The executive leading my division had made several organizational changes and my small team who had been reporting to a manager that we all appreciated and loved and would now be working for another manager.

I was grumpy. We hadn’t had a chance to offer any input on the change. It seemed to lack a lot of long-term wisdom and felt like it would lead to rework and errors instead of any gains. Plus I really liked my old manager. I knew what to expect from him and felt like he had our back. The quality of the new leader? It was anyone’s guess.

The change had been announced late in the day. When I went to work the next day, my peers all wanted to know what I thought. I was in no mood for the office gossip. I told them I wasn’t happy, but what could I do.

Photo by Katrin Bolovtsova on Pexels

I find the change in the workplace can be a scary thing. We all face change at home and work, big or small, and it can be a frightening thing, especially if we’re not a part of the process. When we met with the new manager for the first time later in the week, I know I was not in the best of moods. I tried to remain neutral, but I’m sure my body language and my folded arms gave my feelings away.

I thought of that recently when I ran into my old boss. We weren’t together long, but he was one of my favorite bosses in my career. He trusted me. He encouraged me to stretch myself. And he always had my back.

I laugh now. If I had kept my arms folded and remained closed off, I would have missed out on a gem of a boss and a friend.

I write more about change and how we need to educate ourselves on both earning a living and how to truly live in my story, Learning how to really live!, on the Heart of the Matter. Let me know how you’ve managed to balance the change and challenges that come with work and home.

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24 thoughts on “Keeping an open mind”

  1. Change is difficult. It’s funny, because last week, my boss announced her pre-retirement and the fact that the sister company had purchased the other 50% of our company. She will stick around for a year, in a lessening way (good for her) and we are now being led by A mother and son team; the son more so as the mother also is thinking about her retirement. Honestly, it will be interesting to see how things go as, frankly, I, too, am not planning on sticking around longer than necessary.
    I say that now but am open to possibilities. If it becomes more interesting and less boring, I may stick it out. As it stands now, it is annoying as hell when one of the three (from the sister company) goes out to get coffee just for them and I am the only “other” in the office. Snubbed much? Doesn’t give one the sense of belonging. I’ve not been here a year yet and I feel very much the outsider.

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    1. I get that “outsider” feeling and I always have to laugh at it. Are they just that rude? Do they not get that excluding you will make you, well, feel excluded? Yes, it makes you feel left out. You’re not crazy Dale. The crazy thing is that they would have to do very little to change the tune … a thoughtful step here or there would make a huge difference. At least that’s what I’ve found. Anyway, hang in there!!!!

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      1. Yesterday made it two days in a row that they did that. Okay, those three are part of DNA and I’m part of VDM but DNA owns VDM now. And I get that the three were huddled in a meeting. Still.
        Never mind the number of times a few go out to lunch. I am not one to invite myself so, it’s not going to happen. I just find it beyond rude to be the only one left behind. And here’s the thing. I don’t like to say it, but French companies are very different from English ones. I miss working for English companies, just sayin’

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      2. Oh it’s so rude. I get that theyre in meetings. I get that you may not be pulled into those discussions but we’re all working together in a small building, it’s very rude!!!! And sadly, not just your business. I’ve seen this all the time. It’s a motivation killer! Sorry to hear this, hopefully change will make it better!!!

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  2. Change can be scary Brian but if we embrace it – most of the time we have no other choice – it can be beneficial, we can learn something new, meet new people and develop ourselves.
    But I know myself when I have to face sudden changes, my first reaction is to make a step back, cause the “all new” type of thing is definitely not mu cup of tea. But with time I know it will work, a way or another.

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  3. You know Brian I can relate. Sometimes people can be so toxic in workplaces that if we aren’t careful we will miss some great opportunities for some wonderful experiences! When we turn off that negativity we can continue to grow abundantly. 🥰💖😍 Thanks for sharing your outlook on learning how to really live. 🙏🏽

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  4. A good boss who has your back and helps you to grow is priceless. I’ve been fortunate to mostly have good bosses and be self-employed. My husband has had a mix of good and bad in his career. The worst was a very religious man who only hired people of his faith and actively took accounts away from people to give to his new hires. He was fired for discrimination, thankfully, and is selling used mattresses in a small town.

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      3. Yes. My husband is almost too good at compartmentalizing things according to our children. I was so happy that people went to HR and reported the religious discrimination. As you said, it’s everything against what religion should be.

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  6. That’s a tough situation Brian. I’m totally adverse to change so I totally get the mood and attitude when confronting a new situation you didn’t want. It does seem like you’re giving the new guy a chance. Wishing you the best of luck. Hugs, C.

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  8. Change is hard, especially at work, when relationships can make or break a team and impact a project significantly.

    We recently employed a Change Manager at work and training for management and senior staff around utilizing change management at work. Because it is an often overlooked part of organizational function and oh so important.

    I’m glad you and the boss ended up working well! Having a good boss makes such a difference.

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    1. You’re getting closer to my day job AB and, yes, management understanding of the level of change saturation, how swamped folks are and the need to get in front of change and make people-focused are a big part of the puzzle in what I’ve seen in the past. Good luck!!!

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