“It’s not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”     Charles Darwin

As a nonprofit leader you are dealing with change all the time. Today I was listening to several executive directors share the impact on them personally of having to make changes related to budget realities as they start their new fiscal years. Considering their comments and my own experience with my move, I have three tips for coping with change to share with you.

  1. Devote time to the change every day if what you are dealing with can be broken down. Increments are easier to manage. Recognize successes every day even if they are small.
  2. Replace things or experiences you are losing because of the change. This doesn’t have to be for a big emotional loss. Recognize that one change triggers other changes. For example, I am no longer near the gym I used to go to regularly. Now, I decided to take a walk in my new neighborhood instead. (I’ll get to something more rigorous soon!)
  3. Get support. I tend to be stoic and think I can do it on my own. That is very short-sighted!

Please share here what you do to cope with changes in your work and your life. Others will benefit from your experience!