Heraclitus famously once said “there is nothing permanent except change“. In other words, the only constant thing we can all be sure of in our lives is change. And despite these words being uttered centuries ago, they have never been more true than in the present day. We are truly seeing change, disruption and transformation play out on an epic scale at the moment in our businesses, in our classrooms, in our governments and in our communities.

In the work we are privileged to do, we work with change and transformation all the time. Whether it’s with individuals or leaders embarking on their own journey of change, or teams and businesses driving through hyper-growth, transformation or disruption. We would assert that regardless of your role, industry or circumstance, building your competency and acumen around change leadership is one of the most essential things you can do.

“Change is inevitable, growth is optional” – John Maxwell

Here are some tips to building your change acumen:

1. Embrace a change mindset – Central to building your change acumen is embracing a growth mindset.Most people find change difficult and many organisations do not have the capability to manage significant and sustained changes. Carol Dweck talks about the difference between a growth and fixed mindset as being our belief that we can learn and change versus a belief that our talent is innate. To change your world you first need to change your mind. Start by believing you can grow, see failures as learnings and view challenges as opportunities, seek out feedback and focus on the journey more than the destination.

2. Set your change vision – Change leadership starts by creating your vision of change, rallying people around this, then sustaining and embedding it. So often leaders focus on what the change is about, but as Simon Sinek stresses if you want to drive transformational change in yourself and for others, articulating why the change is necessary and what the urgency is will be paramount. Answer the ‘so what’ question and focus on why the proposed changes actually matter.

3. Communicate the change – For those leading teams through change, it is absolutely critical to focus on the way you communicate, tone and frequency of communication. During transformational change people are looking for answers, for reassurance, to feel heard and supported. Lead with the vision but be sure to create milestones to communicate and celebrate along the journey to reduce the change fatigue or inertia.

4. Create change habits – To support yourself, your team and your business through change, its crucial to create habits to support the realisation of your change vision. Focus on celebrating small wins, on learnings, on growth and on the journey itself. Other habits may be around practicing self-compassion, setting aside time to sit with the emotions of change or prioritising self-care.

As you embark on this next chapter of change here are some questions for you to consider:

• How do you typically respond to change?

• How would you like to respond to change?

• Where in your life could you embrace a stronger change growth mindset?

• How could your team or business embrace change more wholeheartedly?

• What are some of the changes you’ve noticed in your own life in the last six months?

• What changes are you now aware of that you perhaps haven’t recognised or celebrated?

So as you navigate through these turbulent times remember to be patient and kind with yourself and others, recognise that change can be daunting and messy but it also brings with it huge opportunities to learn and grow. And don’t forget – the most powerful of change starts from within.

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” – Rumi