The corporate world is full of examples of big changes that failed to take off.

A high percentage of a senior executive's time is spent in planning for the future, making strategic choices, and committing huge resources to future plans and projects.

Despite such efforts there is no guarantee that the proposed changes will be a success.

No big changes are possible by the efforts of one man. Even Alexander the Great of Macedon (now northern Greece) who conquered the entire Eastern European world of the time had a great army of thousands.

What is a catalyst?

Is it possible that people can succeed in their missions with the help of others who are catalysts?

Literally, the word 'catalyst' means anything which creates a situation in which change can occur.

When a change is proposed in a company different people react differently.

People may like the proposed changes, resist them, or completely hate them.

People may also be neutral to the changes.

How can you be a catalyst at your workplace?

1. In order to be a catalyst you have to make things happen

You have to help people who just watch and do not react.

You also have to help people for whom the changes are too much to handle.

If you like some changes in your company, here are some reasons why you should help others adjust to such changes as well.

A segment of a very popular saying reads as follows.

There are people who watch things happen

There are people who make things happen and

There are people who wonder what happened!

2. Try to show others what they are unable to see and rationalise for themselves

it is presented to them by someone they trust - YOU.

3. Try to reason with others by showing them the positive and negative aspects of the change

Remember that you have your own opinion and by sharing your viewpoint you can help others.

4. Try to work with your manager to convince your team-mates of the merits of the proposed changes

Your manager needs support and if you believe in what s/he is doing, there is no harm in giving him an extra hand.

However, remember that when you are projecting a positive image of the proposed changes to your peers, you should not appear as the 'manager's man or woman'.

When faced with uncertainty, people like to share their opinions with trustworthy friends and peers.

5. Sometimes it is best to break the larger goal into smaller goals and targets

For example, your company is thinking of outsourcing a particular function which will mean that you and your team will be deployed to another office.

You may consider this as an opportunity to do a new job and grow within a new functional area.

Others may perceive it as a drastic change and find it unacceptable to be tossed around within the company.

Try to portray a positive picture to your friends by discussing things in small pieces.

People find it easy to say 'yes' to small, meaningful goals than to a larger and more complicated goal.

In actual fact, one the one hand, people want to change and then, on the other, they want things to stay same.

It is safe to conclude that people need to be educated and counselled to take a proper course of action.

Being a catalyst is a very rewarding role.

There are very few delights in business life that compare with witnessing the expansion and growth in another person when they have overcome a challenge.

Gloria M Hamilten is a recognized authority in disciplines within Personal Development and People Skills for Business Professionals, such as Time Management, Negotiation Skills, Developing High-Performance Teams, Assertion Skills, Building International Rapport, Conflict Management and Resolution, Presentation and Platform Skills.

Her studies in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Psychology have lead to her researching brain disorders such as AD-HD and its relations.

She has her own training business, and conducts courses for Corporate Organizations, Sporting groups and Tertiary Educational Institutions in Australia.

Her professional experience covers over 30 years of study, research, one-on-one coaching, group coaching, presentations and workshops. Her clientele includes children as well as adults.

Gloria Hamilten has authored the eBook: "Successful Self-Hypnosis" and many Reports and online articles.

Her websites provide a wealth of informative articles and resources on everything within these genres.

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