| Restructuring is tough, usually because it's imposed | | | | co-workers once and a while. Remember, you can |
| change. We are rarely in control of the process. If we | | | | change people's expectations and beliefs about you, |
| decide to stay, we ride it out, and are relieved when | | | | as long as you start with yourself first. Working with |
| the ride ends. As you have decided to say, this means | | | | new - or mostly new people - is the ideal time. |
| your employer has the right to expect you are all in. By | | | | Reinvigorate your career - this follows on from the |
| that I mean that you will keep to the rules around post | | | | reinvent yourself, and it is thinking about where do you |
| restructure. These rules are: | | | | want to be in the next few years. Personally, I did think |
| · No harking back to the "good old days" - and | | | | about this one when I got through the restructure. I |
| no saying "that's not my job". It just might be now! | | | | moved into a management role for the first time, and it |
| · No saying "that's not how we used to do it" | | | | really made me look hard at myself and my career. |
| · No negative comments about who got which | | | | Get involved with projects and speak up - it will help |
| new job and why - idle gossip is bad full stop. | | | | with the reinvention of yourself, and show you to be a |
| · No sighing about who or what you are | | | | contributing member of the organisation. Find out what |
| missing | | | | is going on in the community around you and get |
| · Be the standard bearer for the new ways | | | | involved. It may be both officially through work or as a |
| and new structure | | | | volunteer/interested community member. Then |
| · Remember why the change has been made | | | | remember to feedback what you learn. This lets |
| and promote the benefits. | | | | people what else you are doing and to see you as a |
| · Be warm and welcoming to those who are | | | | whole person. |
| new - they need to feel they fit | | | | Reinvent procedures - post restructure is not "throw |
| · Missing people and places is normal, but give | | | | the baby out with the bathwater time", but a real |
| vent to those feelings outside the office | | | | chance to review how things are done. Everyone has |
| So where's the good news? The opportunity is in the | | | | ideas of how to improve how things are done. This is |
| word new. New means just that - a chance to reflect | | | | your chance to put them forward and make changes. |
| and rebuild. It means the possibility not just for the | | | | Best of all is if you think through how your ideas will |
| business, but also for your career. So, here are the | | | | impact across the business - make a business case |
| ideas for making the restructure work for you. | | | | for it. This will also make you stand out a bit, feeding |
| Reinvent yourself - once people work with you, they | | | | into the reinvent yourself/your career as well. |
| have a picture of you in their mind. Unfortunately, | | | | Restructures are painful because both people and |
| people have a really hard time allowing for change in | | | | things are lost - the office I worked in was close and |
| those around them. Think about your image. Think | | | | none of the people I worked with in that office stayed, |
| about the words people associate with you. Think | | | | so it was like starting all over again with a team of |
| about who you associate with. What do you want to | | | | people who did know each other and resented the |
| be different? Then be the difference. It can be a | | | | organisation for the pain they were feeling. You can't |
| simple as dressing up for a move up the career ladder. | | | | change how the people around you feel - only |
| Read more and contribute more to your team | | | | yourself. Use the opportunity of the new, and grow |
| meetings. Consider who you have your coffee breaks | | | | both yourself and your career. Doing this will mean |
| with - do you want to be with people outside your | | | | when the next restructure happens, you will be in a |
| team from time to time? If you are not much of a | | | | stronger place to make decisions from. |
| social butterfly, this is the time to go out with | | | | |