Chameleon or Badger? Adapting to Change

Here’s a recommendation right out of the gate: Read “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson. Regardless of how you respond to change, you will find this easy-to-read book entertaining, and you will have fun identifying the character with which you most closely identify. We experience change throughout both our personal and professional lives. What defines us is how we adapt to change, and this book sheds light on how you and others respond.

“The only constant in life is change.” Do a search for that famous quote, and you’ll see that it’s attributed to numerous personalities and influencers throughout the ages. Despite to whom it actually belongs, the quote rings true. You can’t avoid change, and you can’t always control it. What you CAN do is decide how you will respond to it. 

If you are a chameleon, you are a change roller. You can morph and adapt pretty quietly without much resistance or stress to those changes that are out of your direct control. This does not assume that you like every one. It just means that you have a tendency to keep moving and blending changes into your life.

If you are a badger, you are the change fighter. You tend to “rage against the machine” and kick up dust with the changes you did not control. This doesn’t mean you fail to adapt. It just means that you adjust by activating your fighting spirit, which can give people around you some interesting food for thought. OK, so you’re not exactly subtle. You just have a price tag to your adaptability.

In our professional lives we can control certain changes, such as deciding upon the type of work we want to do, where we want to work, and how we want to grow our careers. It’s hard, but it’s up to us and our own sense of ambition. Then there are circumstances where we cannot control change in our professional lives, such as when a new co-worker is hired (and we were not involved in the screening or interview process), when agency or entity leadership changes, when we are transferred due to a reorganization, or even when we are part of a reduction initiative. This is when we go all “chameleon” or “badger,” or even a little bit of both.

Truthfully, the best approach to change is to go a little chameleon and a little badger at the same time. Balance your acceptance with your fighting spirit.

Here are some suggested actions for managing change:

1. Acknowledge the Change: Recognize and accept that change is occurring, which can reduce stress and lower your resistance. (Read More: Psychology Today)
2. Understand the Emotional Impact: Be aware that even positive changes can cause stress, and it’s normal to experience a range of emotions during transitions. (Read More: Psychology Today)
3. Develop Coping Strategies: Employ resilience skills such as connecting with others, maintaining a positive outlook, and practicing self-care to navigate change effectively. (Read More: Psychology Today)
4. Set Realistic Goals: Break down the change into manageable steps and set achievable goals to facilitate a smoother transition. (Read More: Psychology Today)
5. Seek Support: Engage with supportive individuals or engage professional help to gain perspective and assistance during periods of change. (Read More: Psychology Today)

By implementing these strategies, individuals can enhance their adaptability and resilience in the face of life’s changes. You can “Deal With It.” It’s entirely possible. You just have to stop, breathe, analyze, and decide what you need in order to move forward.

One final strategy is to remember that changes beyond your control are inevitable, but not always directed at you. We’ve all heard the expression, “It’s not always about you.” That feels very direct, but it’s helpful in this context. You see, when you look beyond the self, you can recognize the silver lining in the change cloud. When dealing with change, and looking past yourself, you can gain insights that put the changes’ impacts into clearer perspective.

One tactic that helps with this strategy is to do something in service to others: maybe a volunteer effort, a favor for someone you value, or helping others in some other way. Reaching outside the self often gives us a more balanced perspective on our priorities and helps us to shine a more positive light on a particular change. Whether you are Sniff or Scurry or Hem or Haw (go read that book!), you can effectively manage changes in your life. You can go all chameleon or go full-on badger, or a bit of both. You GOT this!

The multi-faceted nature of Susan Powell’s professional background paints the picture of a lifetime learner who has always taken full control of her career path and decisions to apply her learning experiences in the most productive ways possible. Susan has brought her passion for writing and communications to every career upgrade and role, which helped her to secure the Marketing Director position for a cybersecurity company that she holds today. Fueled by her continued enthusiasm for earning applicable certifications, she continues to develop her marketing prowess and channel partner marketing skills. This former elementary teacher-turned-marketer is still a happy work-in-progress.