We have just had our annual Christmas get-together.   Our friends and neighbours  join us to catch up with us and with each other. Often it’s a chance to renew old connections and check in on the year just gone.  Over a year there have always been changes, mostly positive; but this year a few of our friends have faced redundancy.

Restructuring and redundancy are now a regular part of our lives.  Some of you will have been affected, either as managers of change, or as people strongly affected by it.

Whatever your role, there will be emotion involved. For managers, telling people they are redundant is difficult and  a series of these conversations can leave managers feeling isolated and unpopular.

Being on the other end can be even harder.  The sense of loss and dis-empowerment can be huge for people.  A feeling of unfairness and fear can loom large.

What can we do about these difficult emotions?  The best answer is, of course, the simplest – connect with others. It helps to reduce the effects of the emotional upheaval, by talking it through with your support people – your co workers, your family and your friends.

Seeing change as an opportunity may be difficult when the news is still raw, but as CS Lewis said:  ‘Getting over painful experiences is much like crossing monkey bars.  At some point you have to let go to move along.’  ‘Take time to reflect.  Then when that the new role comes along, once again take your time to settle in. There are more tips in this interesting article.

If you are the manager of people who have undergone a lot of change,  remember your new team will take time to regroup and feel confident abut the path ahead. There are some tips to help at this site

We are fast approaching  Christmas. It is traditionally a time for family and friends and the opportunity to take your time and value the moment. Cherish what is really important in your life.   ‘Change always comes bearing gifts’  said Price Pritchett. Sometimes it’s hard to even see the gift let alone unwrap it.