Managing your transition

1. Managing your transition September 2015

2. Managing your transition

3. Intent Taking control of your future and charting a course to help you transition to the next stage of your career. Recognise a starting point Consider the challenges ahead and the need for a positive response to change Recognise your starting point Outline the resources available Start mapping your way forward

4. Agenda Purpose Your starting point What should you expect? What resources do you have available? Next steps

5. Your starting point • Massive change, especially change that directly impacts us, our family and our friends can be very confronting • Losing or changing job can be a significant cause of fear, anguish and even anger. It rates up along side losing a member of your family or being seriously injured • It is not helpful to make light of the situation – rather it needs to be faced head on • It is important to discuss your situation and your feelings with family, friends, colleagues and other supporters so you can marshal the resources to move forward. There can be many big decisions to be made and these are best not shouldered alone • Sometimes there is also a need for professional support for you or your family members

6. What to expect Experience shows that when faced with bad news people need to “process it.” Individuals will take different periods of time to do this processing. Most people need to work through the following ‘stages.’ SHOCK DENIAL ANGER MOVING ON RESISTANCE /NEGOTIATE ACCEPTANCE SADNESS Whilst many people process bad news in this order depending on their circumstances and resources they may jump to any of these responses and as time goes on move back and forth between them. Different people show different behaviours in each of these stages.

7. What should I expect? • A range of emotional responses are normal in these circumstances. • Individuals and groups may experience shock, denial, anger, fear, remorse, frustration, lack of care or concentration, anxiety, emotional highs and lows. • You will move through this process at your own rate. It is unhelpful to tell people how to feel or to “just get over it.” Different people deal with things differently. • However – inevitably we realise “What has happened has happened.” • Once we reach this point then the question becomes – Where to from here?

8. Your decision matters • In any set of circumstances your choices will impact the outcome • A little formula may help you focus: “Situation X Response = Outcome” • If you choose to do nothing – you get nowhere (in fact you may go backwards) • If you react negatively usually you will drive a negative outcomes for yourself and / or others – including family and friends • If you choose to react positively you may be able to drive a positive outcome

9. The best response THE BEST RESPONSE IS TO: • Acknowledge what has happened and how you feel • Tell people what has happened so they can support you • Tell people how you feel so they aren’t guessing or “walking on egg shells” • Commit to taking control of what you can and commit to moving forward • Look for resources who can help you deal with how you feel now and how you can move forward • Recognise and celebrate milestones in your emotional state and in your transition process … • talking with others • collecting resources • gaining skills • applying for roles • obtaining an interview • getting a job

10. Marshalling your personal resources • When you first receive the news of the change it may feel like all your energy and resources are draining away – like fuel from a tank • We need to “refill the tank” – boosting your self esteem • Start by reviewing your strengths (physical, mental and spiritual), your skills and experience you have. Remind yourself of your capabilities and talents. Write them down • Think about the support network you have. Consider your family, friends, manager, work colleagues and other networks who can support you • Consider / investigate the other resources that you can access that will help you go forward • The tank will not then be empty and you can find the energy to move forward

11. “Reframing” the ‘problem’ as an ‘opportunity’ • When circumstances are difficult it is often hard to see anything other than problems • When you get into this situation there is a need to take a step back and look at the situation from a new perspective • Even something like a lost job can become an opportunity for a career change, a holiday or a change in location or lifestyle • The skill is called “reframing” • Instead of focussing on the negative the challenge is to ask “What’s now possible” • You are now starting to create a positive picture of the future • It in no way diminishes the seriousness of the circumstances – yet it provides some new possibilities and directions to explore. We then ask “What resources / help do I need to make this possible?” and “Am I up for this?”

12. Daily discipline • In order to move forward and achieve an effective transition requires disciplined effort – every day • You can expect days of high energy and enthusiasm and other days of frustration and disappointment • As such you need to keep a positive self image and have a clear focus on the objective you have set • Keep using the support and resources at hand to keep going until the objective is achieved • If you are starting to feel discouraged talk to your supporters and if necessary seek professional assistance

13. What company resources are available? Management and HR Support Professional Counseling What should we expect? Resume Writing Skills and Assistance Interview Skills Training and Support