New technologies, global competition, changing values and lifestyles all mean change has become an accepted way of organizational life. Change is a given and you need to handle it well!

Your role in dealing with change in the workplace is to come out the other side of the change with a positive outcome - regardless of whether you're heading up the change drive or having to cope with navigating the waters of an unwanted change.

Shock, Confusion, Denial, Anxiety and Fear, Hostility, Resistance, Sadness and Stress are common reactions to change. Let's look at how you and your leader can best handle each of them:

Shock: Are you content with the status quo? If you are, then when change is sprung upon you it may take some time for the idea to set in that you need to change. You may go into a form of shock and experience distress, disgust, surprise, grief. You may feel paralyzed - like a rabbit in front of headlights. You need time to work through your sense of loss and unease. You may find your performance decreases and you only do the basic work.

Ask your Leader to: Give you emotional first aid - listen and understand your sense of loss. Keep feeding you information and reinforcing why the need for change is important. Allow time for you to come to grips with the situation. When you are ready, encourage you to ask questions.

Confusion: Once you've spent time thinking about the change you are likely to be confused and have many questions. Your mind may jump in a random and chaotic way from one 'what if' question to another. There's probably plenty of rumours and speculation hitting you right now and you're not quite sure where the truth lays.

Ask your Leader to: Provide you with as much information as possible. Help you to see the bigger picture, yet at the same time keep you focused on short-term goals. Reassure you by taking the time to address issues and concerns of both you the individual and the larger group. Work with you to develop a strategy for next steps. Stay close to the ground so that s/he can quickly address any rumours that fly around

Denial: This is a buffer zone between shock and anxiety. You may find yourself denying that the change will impact on you. You will look for evidence that the change is unnecessary - whether that's other data or people to confirm that this change shouldn't have to occur.

Ask your Leader to: Not to expect large leaps forward into acceptance. To give you sufficient time to come to grips with the change and its impact on you. Help you to see that staying in denial is risky - e.g. imagine if you were still using an IBM golf ball typewriter and all your colleagues are using Apple Macs!

Anxiety & Fear: You may now realize that change is inevitable - but the shape of the future may be murky. You might be asking yourself questions like: "How do I fit into this? Am I capable? Will it work for me?". You may be uncertain who to trust.

Ask your Leader to: Communicate directly, honestly and calmly with you - do not try to whitewash anything. Help you to fully understand how the change will impact on you and what input you can have to the change. Work with you to create a brightness of future that you want. Don't make any promises s/he can't keep. Regularly talk to you to help you diminish the impact of the naysayers who may be pulling you down. Be a torch for you that lights your way into the future.

Hostility: Denial is often a solo event. Once you get to anger it may mean that everyone around you knows about it. You may show your anger by active resistance and attacks on the change process.

Ask your Leader to: Put him/herself in your shoes. Get beneath the surface of the anger - what's causing it. Make sure there are plenty of forums for issues, feelings and concerns to be vented. Legitimize your feelings of anger, but not let you get away with it: e.g. "It's okay to be angry, but it's not okay to shout at others". When you feel that you are listened to, respected and understood your anger will diminish. To not take your anger personally and to not act in an angry or defensive manner him/herself.

Resistance: Here you'll find yourself saying things like "This won't work. They've tried it before how will this be any different? It'll happen regardless of my input. It probably just means more work for me"

Ask your Leader to: Not ask you to snap out of it or pull yourself together - denying your feelings may only drive them deeper. Continue to provide you with plenty of information and timeframes for when and how the change will take place. Not force advice on you - it may only deepen your resistance. Involve you - the more you feel you have some control over the change the more your resistance will lessen.

Sadness: Feelings of sadness at your loss or perceived loss may occur. Whether you see the change as positive or negative, as you leave behind the familiar past, you may experience some sadness. This is a normal response as it helps you to understand how much you really care about something.

Ask your Leader to: Talk about your feelings and what is causing them. Help you to find ways to manage your feelings and thinking patterns. Make sure you are taking enough time for physical exercise, rest and good nutrition. Help you to get help if your sadness begins to show the symptoms of depression.

Stress: Stress will generally occur when you feel like you have no control over the change. You may find yourself feeling ill. The most harmful kind of stress is social isolation.

Ask your Leader to: Help you to seek out the support you need - whether from family, work colleagues, friends or by giving you access to a professional counsellor. Put you in contact with stress reduction resources such as meditation, relaxation tapes, breathing techniques etc.

Dealing with change in the workplace is a fact of life. As you let go of the past, be patient with yourself, tell yourself the truth (if you're sad or worried acknowledge it), stay focused and involved. As you move through the winds of change you will learn much about yourself. As Napoleon Hill is often quoted "Within every adversity is the seed of an equal or greater benefit". Look for your seeds as you are dealing with change in the workplace.