Adapting to Change

Lately, you’ve strung together an impressive list of wins. After networking over cocktails and appetizers, you took the opportunity to use your elevator pitch with a peer. This new connection went from peer to colleague and referral, revealing a new opportunity. Fast forward a few years, and you excel in your role. When you’re efficient and productive at work, it’s only a matter of time before you are recognized and rewarded with new responsibilities. If you think your obligations are about to change, read on for some tips on adapting when they do.

Whatever it Takes

Change is inevitable. Adding new responsibilities, while stressful, is also a positive reflection of your performance. The more efficient and productive you are, the more trust peers will have in you and your work. By taking on more responsibility, you become more valuable to the team. You will also build a reputation and solidify yourself as a teammate willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Learning from Others

Colleagues can help ease the tension when transitioning to a new role. Begin by meeting and asking questions to get familiar with your new obligations. The more you learn, the more comfortable you’ll be on your own. Being nervous or anxious is okay; no one will expect you to understand everything immediately. You’ll want to focus on learning how to complete your new tasks. Once you know what to do, you’ll be able to figure out the best path to success.

Notes and Research

Whether you’ve been shadowing a colleague virtually or in person, detailed note-taking is imperative. Having a reference on hand is critical to refresh your memory when working independently. If taking detailed notes is not your style, remember to stop your colleagues as often as necessary to ensure you can fully grasp whats being asked of you. According to an article written last year on learninground.com, note-taking has six benefits.

Benefits of Note Taking
1. Improves focus.
2. Promotes active learning.
3. Improves comprehension and retention.
4. Expands attention span.
5. Helps you organize thoughts and ideas.
6. Increases creativity.

Prioritizing Tasks

Increased responsibility requires a stronger emphasis on multitasking and prioritizing daily duties. One method you could use is focusing on the more complex tasks first. By taking this approach, you can devote more time to deliverables you may be unfamiliar with. A tip from applicantonesource.com says, “You might have to hit the ground running, time block your day, and work backwards from highest priority to lowest.”

Asking for Help

The list below from Indeed.com outlines how to ask for help at work. Listing everything, you’ve already tried will help colleagues identify where to start to help you solve any problem. Let your colleagues know if your request is urgent or time-sensitive, so they can set aside enough time to assist. While you may prefer to reach out to colleagues you work closely with, focus on those with relevant experience. They will be able to provide you with the best advice as well as tried and tested solutions.

How to Ask for Help
1. Create a list of things you tried
2. Consider your timing
3. Carefully choose whom you ask
4. Be specific in your request
5. Use a collaborative approach
6. Be available to help

Change is Inevitable

Welcoming and adapting to change is something every marketer needs to embrace. Take the opportunity to learn from colleagues, and take notes as you go. Prioritizing and multitasking are crucial to demonstrating your accountability and maintaining your productivity. Remember, colleagues will have the answers or know how to get them, so don’t be afraid to ask. Change is inevitable in a constantly evolving profession like marketing, so you must be open to it and willing to “go with the flow” when it comes. As Socrates said, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

 

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