Don’t Panic

Whenever change occurs within my job I am comforted by the words written on the cover of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, “Don’t Panic.” I say this because that’s the first thing I usually do. Change is inevitable and how you adapt to it is how you can grow. Every change should be seen as an opportunity for something new. The change could be as simple as you are assigned a new project or task. Or it could be something more daunting like a new boss, losing a team member, or changing your team entirely. Each of these is an opportunity to step up to the plate and swing for the bleachers. Make the most out of it! When change occurs, and notice I said “when”, because it will, it’s time for you to shine. If it’s a new boss it’s a chance to show them what you’re made of. If it’s the loss of a team member, show your boss that you can pick up some of the slack. If it’s a new team, make the most of it and see what you can learn from your new team members. Change will often put most of us outside of our comfort zone. However, you never grow by staying in your comfort zone. You will need to adapt as quickly as possible. The less you panic the easier it will be. I know personally I wouldn’t want a career that doesn’t allow me to grow. With every new change I can grow and become a more valuable asset. Up to this point I’ve been talking about external changes. Things that are out of your control. You shouldn’t wait for an external change to grow. If external changes are not coming your way then it’s time for you to make your own changes. Try to figure out how you can change personally to improve yourself. Make yourself more valuable. Learn something new. Take on a new responsibility. Offer to help someone else with their work, even if you don’t know how to do it. Don’t just sit on the sidelines and wait for that magic moment to happen for you and get on the field and make it happen. Just remember that the only entry in the Hitchhikers Guide on Earth states “Harmless”. Then Ford Prefect updated the guide to say “Mostly harmless”. That’s how I like to think of change. It’s mostly harmless.