Personal Mastery in Times of Change: Be a Team Player & Take Care of Each other

“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.” –A.A. Milne, Author

Over the last several months, I have been writing a lot about how to successfully maximize your potential during times of change. As I’ve noted before, change is a fact of life, and something that successful people need to master in the workplace.

I’ve already talked about how important it is to choose your attitude, understand your organization’s values, and communicate with impact.

This leads me to the fourth and final piece of advice to successfully navigating through a changing environment: be a team player and take care of each other.

When change disrupts existing rhythms and operations, it is easy to feel alone. You may ask yourself: Why is this happening to me? How is this going to impact my life? What do I do now?

Connecting with others going through change and reinforcing the bonds of the team is essential.

Recently, a 75-person team at a different site was realigned into my business. They had a long history working under another leader, and didn’t know what to expect in joining a new part of the company.

My leadership team and I traveled to that site and held an informal meet-and-greet with the staff. We made a point to meet every person, and hear what was on their minds about the organizational change.

The following day, I received an email from an employee who attended. He said he had never had an experience like that in the company, and was proud, energized and excited to be part of the new team. And though he said that he got a lot out of the interaction, I think I received more. I gained an incredible appreciation for the team’s capabilities, and for what they can do for our customers.

In this case, it didn’t take much to foster a new sense of team. Just some personal time, a plate of cookies, and caring.

You don’t have to be in a formal leadership role to foster team connectivity; everyone can take on that role during times of change to keep the organization moving forward.

One person on my team recently demonstrated how simple and effective this can be. One of his peers had recently stepped into a new role supporting another Lockheed Martin executive – one of my peers.

It was her third day on the job when a bombshell hit: a leader’s retirement had triggered a series of organizational moves. The executive she had changed jobs to support was moving on, and a successor had not yet been named.

When hearing the news, instead of only thinking about how the announcement impacted him, the leader on my team thought of others, and his peer immediately came to mind. He picked up the phone and called her to check in. She told him it had meant the world to her that others were looking out for her.

Teamwork and care are critical during times of change. This principle forces you to shift focus from yourself to the others around you. It is a deliberate action, but such a simple one to take.

The key is to make the choice to do it. You can’t just plan to care; caring is displayed in your every interactions.

It doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Demonstrations of care can be big or small. A simple phone call to check in on someone can make someone’s day, or helping an employee manage family and professional commitments can show you value your team both in and out of the workplace.

I’d love to hear some of the things that you do to be a team player and demonstrate care. Please share!