Posted: 27th October 2015
Firing up my laptop today, a little message popped up on my screen gleefully announcing that my Windows 10 Upgrade was now ready. Great, I thought. That’s all I need. Well, yes it’s exciting and all that, and according to Microsoft, life as we know it will never be the same for us Windows Users. But, I must admit, my heart trembles with trepidation at the thought of having to learn yet another version of Windows – and at my age too. Don’t get me wrong, I’m the kind of person that likes change. It’s not something that scares me. Instead, I see adventure and opportunity. In fact, I not only like change, I need to have change constantly in my life. My 11 house moves and 18 jobs are testament to that fact. You could even call me a Change Addict . But, as I get older, there are certain things in my life that I like to stay the same. IT is definitely one of them.
So why is it that some people embrace change whilst others dig their heels in and refuse to co-operate? It’s about adaptability; the extent to which people are willing to adapt to change. In today’s world of work, with its increasingly competitive environment, change is a must have. Like it or not, we will all experience changes in systems and processes, changes in the direction the organisation is heading, changes in staffing brought about by restructures, mergers and cut backs. Dealing with these constant alterations and transformations requires employees to be open and willing to change. To be adaptable. For some people, this comes easy. They embrace change and see the opportunities that it brings. In fact, some people (like me) even need a significant amount of change in their lives and will actively seek and initiate change. At the other end of the scale, are those employees that prefer stability and consistency in their lives and are happy for things to stay the same. Of course, it’s not all as black and white as this. There are those that sit along the spectrum of adaptability who may be open to some change, but not everything. Some may take longer to adapt, they need more convincing, more evidence before they will buy-in to this new initiative. It’s all a bit of a minefield for managers who have to deal with the fall out of change in the workplace, especially when it evokes so many different reactions.
When Windows 10 lands on my laptop for keeps I will need to understand how it’s going to benefit me. I need to be sure I can use this new-fangled software and will want clear instructions. I want to make sure that I am in control of the timing for this change to my computer, and it’s not just going to be dumped on me. And I certainly don’t want this to make more work for me. If all that’s covered, then yes, I’m ready for my Upgrade. How about you?
