Change
The Oxford Dictionary describes change as “passing from one state to another”.
Change is central to the business world today. It is also an increasingly prevalent and complex phenomenon. It encompasses attitudes, beliefs, individual behaviours and – in a business context – alteration to the environment in which organisations and managers operate. Sometimes this change can be not only significant, but also tumultuous.
Change is also a constant, open-ended process: it is rarely planned. In today’s turbulent business world, the difference between what is planned and predictable, and what actually happens, can be immense.
For someone with Asperger syndrome, change is one of the most difficult concepts to deal with. It means disruptions to established routines, learning how to cope with new work environments and colleagues and accommodating new business approaches and practices.
For someone with Asperger syndrome, change is one of the most difficult concepts to deal with. However, for a manager with AS, business conditions make it unavoidable. Building the internal skill set required to cope with change is, therefore, a pre-requisite for effective management.
Doing so requires understanding what change is, how it impacts on business and, more importantly for a manager with Asperger syndrome, the effect it has in relation to the condition and managerial effectiveness.
What are the specific AS issues relating to change and how can these be managed to cope with evolving routines and business change programmes?
Handling change
Change must be dealt with in a proactive manner for it to become constructive. Most people tend to react negatively to changes, but the AS manager may react more strongly, depending on the nature of the change and how it comes about. The key is to control any negative reactions you may have. Managers know going in they will have to deal with a lot of changes. Use this to stay alert, but not nervous. Remember, your employees will decide how to react based upon what they see you do. I will only deal with non-catastrophic changes here.
If a change is announced in advance, such as a new process or rule, there can be problems with anticipating negative impacts to the point that positive impacts are minimized, ignored or overlooked. The negatives can be seen as threats, especially if the manager has AS. This can lead to panic attacks if left unchecked. To deal with this, make a list of perceived positive and negative impacts and weigh them against each other. Some pairs may cancel out. Serious negatives can be brought to the attention of higher management. If a conversation turns to worrying about the negatives, agree, then point out the positives.
If a change occurs suddenly, such as the death of a mentor or co-worker, or a company buyout, the first reaction is to assess the possible effect on your survival, i.e. your job. Subsequent assessments will include effects on job flow, effort needed, etc. according to the perceived personal threat level. Negative effects will be thought of first: this is a survival response and must be respected. The trick is to not become buried in negativity and panic, but to look for the positives that can be used to offset negatives. Grab and hold the panic and start looking for positives asap. If possible, write the pros and cons as above, otherwise make a mental list. If you can channel panic energy into this effort, so much the better.
You may have to find a quiet place to let your emotions run a bit before taking action. You're not weak for that, you're human. It's just part of doing what needs to be done on the job. Respect this, too.