Catherine Smithson presented on self-care for change practitioners. She discussed how change jobs are demanding and require resilience. Resilience involves behaviors, thoughts and actions that can be learned. She provided five tips for resilience: focus on priorities rather than trying to do everything, find a change buddy, don't take issues personally, avoid perfectionism, and keep perspective. The presentation aimed to help change practitioners replenish and maintain resilience through challenges.

1. Self Care For
Change Practitioners
Presented by: Catherine Smithson
Managing Director
December 7 2016
Change Community
of Practice Webinars

2. Introducing Being Human
• Founded in 1993
• Our mission: develop
change-capable people and
organisations so they
achieve the benefits of
change
• Prosci Primary Affiliate
Australia and New Zealand
since 2006
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3. Where to find today’s slides and recording
3
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page - Like us!
Search for Being Human Pty Ltd.
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4. 4
Don’t Log in!

5. Agenda
• Resilience and the change
practitioner
• Looking back at 2016
• Top 5 tips
• Your experiences?
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6. Why is resilience so important for the change
practitioner?
• Change jobs are demanding:
• Size and scope
• Responsibility
• Hours and intensity of work
• Constantly changing
• Influencing people 24/7
• We can be held to a higher
standard
• Role model for change and
leadership - walk the talk
• Can’t ever have a bad day at
the office!
• Facilitating and supporting
other people - emotionally
demanding
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7. On the upside
• Playing a part in major
changes
• Once in a lifetime
experiences – changes that
matter
• Make the impossible,
possible
• Being part of a first class
team
• Building lasting
relationships
• Personal learning
• Others?
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8. What is resilience?
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It’s the process of adapting well in the face of adversity,
trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress…
…. It means "bouncing back" from difficult experiences.
Research has shown that resilience is ordinary, not
extraordinary. People commonly demonstrate resilience.
It is is not a trait that people either have or do not have. It
involves behaviors, thoughts and actions that can be
learned and developed in anyone.
Source: American Psychological Society

10. Optimism – Dr Martin Seligman and the
Positive Psychology Program
• Key element of resilience
• Not hardwired!
• Can be learned
• Benefits:
• manage stress more
efficiently
• less cases of moderate to
severe depression ‘
• decreased levels of anxiety
• more successful in the world
of business - in the full
optimistic attitude, energy
increases, and so does
productivity.
• Take the Optimism Test
10Source: https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/learned-optimism/

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12. What builds resilience?
1. Having caring and supportive
relationships within and
outside the family.
2. The capacity to make
realistic plans and take steps
to carry them out.
3. A positive view of yourself
and confidence in your
strengths and abilities.
4. Skills in communication and
problem solving.
5. The capacity to manage
strong feelings and impulses.
12Source: American Psychological Society

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14. Tip 1: Focus: don't try and do everything
• Focus on your priorities.
• Go back to your
assessments and tools
and see what you should
be doing at this point.
• Are you trying to do
everything for everyone?
• Try: “Yes, I can, but that
means I won't be able to
do the following… which
one do you want me to
focus on?”

15. Tip 2: Find a change buddy
• Find a colleague you can
bounce ideas off
• Inside or outside your
organisation
• Change practitioners are
very generous
• Most people will provide a
sounding board to help you
work through an issue or
change
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16. Tip 3: Don’t take it personally
• When you encounter people who
are being resistant or difficult to
deal with, remember it's not you
they don't like, it's the change
and how it's impacting them.
• "Most people are mostly good
most of the time and when
they’re not it's due to either fear
or frustration.” –Anonymous
Prosci graduate
• Focus on what they are scared
or frustrated about rather than
think it's aimed at you.
16© Prosci Inc. All rights reserved www.change-management.com

17. Tip 4: Pragmatist or perfectionist?
• Sometimes we care too
much & expect too much
• As change practitioners there
is only so much we can do –
some things are out of
ourscope!
• Beware of your inner
perfectionist!
• A perfect solution is often not
possible
• Focus on what you can
actually achieve.. lay track
for the future
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18. Tip 5: Keep your perspective
• We need to live to fight
another day - in the end,
some changes are just
not going to go well.
• Do your best and take
care of yourself - both
mentally and physically.
• Take time out to rest and
rejuvenate over the
break.
• Set your work/life
boundaries!

20. End of year reflection
1. What have you done that
you are most proud of?
2. Is there anything you
would do differently?
3. What is your #1 learning
about the people side of
change?
4. What 3 qualities
(character, values) do you
bring to your “change
work”, apart from your
technical expertise?
5. How will you replenish
during the break?
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24. Resilience and Optimism Resources
• Resilience: Bounce Back From Whatever Life Throws At
You by Dr John Nicholson and Jane Clarke
• Books and articles
• Resilience on line Self Assessment
• http://www.nicholsonmcbride.com/resilience/
• Learned Optimism – Martin Seligman
• https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/learned-optimism/
• Get through the tough stuff by Charlotte Blair
• https://www.psychologies.co.uk/self/get-through-the-tough-
stuff.html.
• American Psychological Association
• http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx
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25. More info
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beinghuman.com.au
• Free Prosci Webinars
• Free Change Community of
Practice Webinars
• Prosci Users Group Australia
and New Zealand on LinkedIn
Have a peaceful Christmas and
New Year
And best wishes for all your
dreams in 2017!
Thank you for joining our
Change Community of Practice
Webinars in 2016!
Email your ideas for topics to
info@beinghuman.com.au

26. Where to find today’s slides and recording
26
Being Human Company Linked in
Profile – Follow us!
Being Human Pty Ltd
page - Like us!
Search for Being Human Pty Ltd.
Recorded version. Follow us for
notifications on new posts
www.slideshare.net/
BeingHumanAustralia/presentations
Slides and recording
Follow us for notifications on new posts