Change Nugget: The Accountability Ladder
Change can be stressful and it's important that you check in with yourself and share your honest feelings with people you can trust. As a leader, employees will look to you to model the behavior that will help them through the changes. It's important you take good care and model a positive leadership shadow.
One tool that is helpful when you’re going through change whether it’s personal, professional, or both, is the Accountability Ladder.
In the visual/photo below, the accountability ladder shows us feelings that are above or below the red line. When you are experiencing feelings that are below the red line, you can become paralyzed or avoidant. Sometimes we can even blame others which prevents us from being responsible. We can be in this mindset and not even be conscious that we are feeling disempowered or helpless. If you are feeling this way, it's helpful to talk to someone you trust, whether a friend, spouse, partner, mentor, therapist or colleague at work. Acknowledge how you feel and talk about the reality of the situation. Remember to be kind to yourself and don’t judge your feelings.
Once you acknowledge the reality of a situation, then you can begin to take action, ask for help, and tap into available resources.
