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Change Management in one’s professional life
In
the West, where hiring and firing is the norm, people are
not really prepared for changes that layoffs cause in their
lives. The thought of losing one’s co-workers, steady paycheques
and other benefits overnight, is enough to put the fear of
god in anyone’s mind, observes Mohan Babu
It
is a fact that the economic cycle is going to swing the other
way. For individual IT professionals, this is the best time
to ponder over the fundamentals of change management and get
prepared for the changes in the horizon
Downturn
in the US economy is rearing its ugly head in a number of
visible ways one of the first cost-cutting measures to be
adopted in times of a downturn is layoffs. In the past few
months, even bell-wether blue-chips like Cisco and Intel have
announced cuts of thousands of their workforce. However, every
cloud has a silver lining, for those in the field of IT, this
may be the best time to take stock and re-visit one’s professional
and personal goals.
In
my previous article, I talked about the changes taking place
in the economy and the effect they are having on the job market.
It is a fact that the economic cycle is going to swing the
other way. For individual IT professionals, this is the best
time to ponder over the fundamentals of change management
and get prepared for the changes in the horizon.
Change,
they say, is the only constant and as Indian IT professionals
become more global, changes outside their area of specialisation,
organisation, and society are likely to have a greater impact
on the personal and professional lives. When Indian professionals
pack their bags and fly down to UK, Singapore or Canada, they
are taking a big leap of faith. We are participating in an
extensive change management process, whether we realise it
or not. Change of place, work, culture and society, have a
profound impact on the way we view the world. Travel does
broaden one’s horizons, more so if one is going to travel
to distant lands, live and work there.
By
moving to a different country, we are willing to accept the
way business is done there; even if this includes embracing
the uncertainty that comes with it. In spite of experiencing
innumerable changes, very few of us are ready for change,
especially change that we cannot predict or anticipate. Even
in the West, where hiring and firing is the norm, people are
not really prepared for changes that layoffs cause in their
lives. The thought of losing one’s co-workers, steady pay
cheques and other benefits overnight, is enough to put the
fear of god in anyone’s mind.
I
have been getting mails from friends who tell me that layoffs
although not the norm are increasingly becoming common, even
in India. Some corporate executives are probably thinking
that after years of being pushed around by “upstart rookies,”
it is their turn to show them who the real boss is. However,
I feel that for an IT professional, with the right kind of
experience and technical skills, a layoff is not the worst
that can happen. Of course, when it does happen, it can be
hard on Indians working abroad. This is exacerbated by the
fact that there is an amount of investment that one has to
make - to buy furniture, car, and the other miscellaneous
paraphernalia, and one cannot walk away from this investment
overnight.
I
remember the first time I was laid-off. This happened towards
the end of 1996, when layoffs were not common enough to have
got into the lexicon of IT professionals. The long term, on-site
project I was working on in England was scrapped without any
notice because of ‘business reasons’. Our client, who was
going to use the software was being bought out; and the company
taking over their system did not want to invest any more on
a project that they would not be using. The lesson I learnt
was simple - when layoff comes knocking, there is not much
you can do except pack your bags and leave. Looking back,
I should have seen the warning signs - the rumours circulating
around water coolers, employees looking out for new jobs.
Such
circumstances put the mind into sharp focus. With the benefit
of hindsight, I am glad I was laid off; it helped me broaden
my horizons and redefine my goals and motivated me to look
for greener pastures. Ever since that time, I have learnt
to keep my ears on the ground. I have worked out a strategy
that has done well for me, bits and pieces of which have been
borrowed liberally from different sources:
- Experts
recommend taking stock of your skill-set every six months
or after every project. Do you have skills that are currently
marketable?
-
- Ask
yourself, if you were to lose your job today, will you be
able to get a job immediately? Scan job sites and advertisements
and keep an eye on the kind of jobs being advertised the
most.
- Are
you being technically and professionally challenged in your
current job; if not, what is keeping you there?
- Ask
yourself if you are happy doing what you do. If not, look
out for something that will make you happy.
- Learn
to see the forest from the trees. Look at the big picture
and see if your career moves are taking you there. If you
have not done so already, chalk out a five or ten year roadmap
of where you want to be. There is no such thing as being
over ambitious.
- Are
you constantly looking out for new jobs? If you are, you
probably hadn’t planned your earlier moves to coincide with
your big goals. Revisit your goals and look for something
that is going to be rewarding.
- Financial
planning: Most experts suggest that one should have about
three to six months salary nested away for a rainy day.
- Expect
the unexpected and be prepared. It is becoming increasingly
clear that in the new economy, people are becoming more
dispensable than ever. If you think you are invincible in
your job, think again and be prepared.
If
some of the points presented above do not make sense to you,
you are probably right; what works for someone may not work
for you. Just reflect on your priorities and map out your
own questionnaire. You cannot be too prepared for change.
Large
corporations in the West have corporate teams, consultants
and executives working full time, analysing and scanning for
changes happening in the business environment around them.
They are constantly peering at their radar screens and looking
for “strategic inflection points” (as Andy Grove, Chairman
of Intel would like to call it). As an individual, you probably
do not have the luxury of a team of advisors, but what you
do have is the skills and knowledge built over a period of
time. You may also have your peers and a network of associates
who will be more than glad to gaze at the radar screen with
you. Learn to be on a constant look out for changes happening
in the world around you, especially for the changes that may
affect you. As the popular adage goes, Change - embrace it
or get run over by it.
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