"You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.” ~ Jim Rohn
Change happens. When it does, we win or lose based on our response. In the healthcare industry, changes are happening every day: changes with bundled payments, Medicaid funding (or lack of), and the current uncertainty with the Affordable Care Act. Change brings with it many challenges, and perhaps the biggest is learning how to leverage it.
Viktor Frankl was a neurologist, psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor. He spent three years in concentration camps and lost most of his family, including his wife. He suffered intolerable abuse, starvation, freezing cold, and exhausting physical labor. He lost everything. With every reason to give up, he continued to have a positive outlook and find meaning in the suffering.
One of his theories was man could withstand nearly anything if there was a reason for it and a why behind it. After Frankl was released, he published several books, writing about his experiences and what he learned from them. In one of my favorite quotes, Frankl states, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” He went on to explain, “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Regardless of the situation we find ourselves in, we have the ability to choose how we respond to it. Even if we cannot change the situation itself, we can choose to change how we look at it and how we respond to it.
When we choose to rise above our circumstances, our environment, or the changes occurring around us, we can leverage them to come out on top. Stephen R. Covey talked about this concept in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. According to Covey, when we choose our response based on values, we are proactive. When we choose our response based on emotions or feelings, we are reactive.
Viktor Frankl certainly didn’t feel like rising above his circumstances. He certainly could have blamed many people for his suffering. Instead, he responded to his situation based on his values—choosing to be proactive, grow his personal strength of character, and rise above his circumstances to be positive. In one of the best examples of someone choosing to be proactive, he chose to share his thoughts about learning from your hardships and overcoming them. He recorded his observations on tiny scraps of paper and hid them, so he could keep writing. Those scraps later became a book, Man’s Search for Meaning, after his release from a concentration camp.
Proactive people will rise above their situation, take personal responsibility, and develop their character. This will enable them to leverage change and the opportunities that come with it. The reactive person will blame anything and anyone else for their circumstances and choose to do nothing—missing the opportunities change brings.
Easier said than done? You bet. But we all have two choices when it comes to dealing with change. We can be proactive, respond based on our values, and leverage change; or, we can be reactive, respond based on emotions and feelings, and miss any opportunities available. Here are three ways to leverage change and win:
Your Happiness Is Not Dependent on Your Circumstances
You can look at any situation and choose how you will feel about it. Yes, change can be tough. Many hospitals have had to eliminate positions and decrease staff over the past few years due to budget cuts. Many healthcare organizations have closed their doors altogether. But we know one medical records director who, when the hospital she worked at was bought out, chose to look at it as an opportunity to go into business for herself as a consultant. She could have been resentful about the merger and loss of her job, but she chose to think positively and launch her dream instead.
Leverage Change by Proactively Managing Your Words
Voice positivity about changes and you will shine, because not everyone will embrace change. Being proactive and embracing change in what you say and how you say it causes you to be seen as a leader, regardless of your position in the organization. Carefully choose your words and embrace the change. Rather than blaming someone or something else for the change, speak words of enthusiasm about the future and the possibilities. You will create an environment around you of hope, rather than fear. Change is not something to fear; change is something to be hopeful about because there is potential for something better.
Leverage Change by Proactively Taking Action
When change happens, you will either act and move forward or stagnate and move backward. Don’t waste a single minute of your valuable time by focusing on what you cannot control. Make a list of the things you can control and act. Our actions determine our results; focus on the actions that will help improve your results. Positive action creates momentum. Momentum will launch you closer to success. Success creates more momentum and increases your influence. Take action and make progress!
For more advice on how to manage change effectively, please join us for the May 19 webcast, Change Happens: Leading Yourself and Others Through Change.
