CPA Practice Advisor - 28

LEAN SIX SIGMA ADVISOR

5 Ways to Maintain a Positive
Attitude for Change

IMAGINE YOU'RE PLANNING a vacation. Instead of making a list of all of the fun activities you
want to do on your trip, you write down all of the sights you DON'T want to see while there and
make a plan for the chores you'll get done at home if the airport is closed and you can't leave

ARIANNA CAMPBELL

Director, Boomer Consulting, Inc.
arianna.campbell@cpapracticeadvisor.com

town. Planning a vacation with failure in mind sounds absurd, but it's not too different from
the way some firms deal with change.Over the years, we've worked with hundreds of firms
to adopt new technologies and execute process improvement initiatives. While every change
comes with its fair share of challenges to overcome, we've noticed one trait of the firms that
tend to find success at the end of their projects: a positive attitude.
"It is your attitude, more than your
aptitude, that will determine your
altitude." ~ Zig Ziglar
It's unfortunately all too common:
a firm is anticipating change and
knows they'll face resistance from
certain people, recognizes the challenges they'll face and automatically
assumes they're going to fail. Rather
than planning a way through those
obstacles, most of their plans revolve
around dealing with what happens
when the initiative fizzles out. Plan B
becomes Plan A because that's where
their time and attention is really
focused.
Instead of going that route, firms
that are successful with making lasting change have a success mindset.
It's okay to spend some time thinking
through potential hurdles and making
a plan to deal with setbacks, but the
emphasis should be on figuring out
how you'll succeed, and planning for
what you'll do once you get there. This
reframe may seem like semantics,
but it has a practical component to
it - it makes success the primary
consideration rather than failure. In
the numerous lean process improvement projects that I've led in firms, this
mindset has been the game changer. In
fact, when we evaluate success metrics
between firms (or even by locations
within the same firm), attidude makes
a measureable difference.

JULY 2019 ■

When success is at the forefront
of your plans, you consider what success looks like. Olympic athletes are
notorious for visualizing a winning
performance before they compete.
American alpine ski racer Lindsey
Vonn can be seen moving her hands up
and down in the air before a big race,
doing one last visualization of every
turn she's about to take. "I always
visualize the run before I do it," Vonn
told Forbes. "By the time I get to the
start gate, I've run that race 100 times
already in my head."
By getting a clear picture of what
success looks like, you can identify all
the parts of the plan that might make
success less likely and do something
to overcome those hurdles. On the
other hand, when you start with the
assumption that you will fail, it's difficult to know where to start - you've
already determined that anything you
do is unlikely to work.
If you find yourself (or your team)
struggling with an attitude of failure
before your initiative even has a
chance to get off the ground, here are
some tips to turn it around.

BE HONEST
Be honest with yourself and your team
about what it takes to be successful. If
you have a hard time with change and
struggle with project management,
identify that as a potential hurdle.

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This lets you prepare an action plan
for overcoming that challenge. For
example, maybe you would benefit
from the help of an outside facilitator to keep your team motivated and
provide accountability for meeting
project milestones.

PLAN IT ALL THE WAY
THROUGH
What happens once you meet your
goal? Consider the next project you
have in mind. For example, if your
project involves rolling out a new
service line, how will you use the
additional profit generated by that
service line? What other services
might complement the new clients you
bring on. Thinking through success
and what comes next will help keep
the momentum going.

BE A PART OF THE
CHANGE
Change can be stressful, but part of
that change may stem from the fact
that you feel a lack of control over
what is happening. This is an excellent
opportunity to ask how you can be a
part of the change process. Volunteer
to act as a champion, get involved in a
committee or be a point of contact for
your team during the transition. Once
you are a part of the action, you'll feel
less uncertain and more empowered.

CONNECT WITH A PEER
Talking through your project and
concerns with someone else can be
invaluable, especially if that someone
isn't involved in the situation. Find
someone in your peer network who has
been through a similar initiative before
and who can provide perspective and
listen without judgment. Often, such a
person can help you see beyond your
current circumstances and make a
world of difference to your overall
outlook.

COMMUNICATE
Communication is always essential,
especially when facing change. If your
firm is not communicating change
effectively, be proactive in finding out
more about what the change involves.
Don't just sit back - talk to your boss
and coworkers to ask constructive
questions and find out meaningful
information. When you've reached
a better understanding, you can be
a resource for others who might be
struggling to maintain a positive
attitude.
Change can be frightening and
disruptive, but with the right attitude,
outlook and actions, you can find
opportunities in that change. Don't
erode your confidence by spending all
of your time and energy preparing for a
negative outcome. Visualize your goals
and your ability to achieve them. With
a positive attitude and goals that align
with your firm's strategic plan and
vision, you'll have the right mindset
to be successful. ■

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