There have been, and continue to be, many changes happening at my work Lake Forest Academy. One major change happening July 1, 2019 is the changing of our Head of School. After 18 years, Dr. John Strudwick will be retiring and José De Jesús will be joining us as the 30th Head of School.

As we come to the end of our school year, there is an anxiousness that you can feel on our campus. Tamar Chansky, author of Freeing Yourself from Anxiety says “changes at work are among the top life stressors that one can experience”. There are many things we can do as Admins when changes occur around us that will give us a sense of control.

Continue to put your best foot forward. Now is not the time to sit back and rest on the good job you have done thus far. Keep striving to be your best and keep that positive attitude. Things get tough right before the change, during the change and even after the change. Make it your mission to be the Admin that works to bring negative attitudes and energy back to a positive state.

Ask questions and communicate.  If you don’t know or understand, ask questions.  Don’t be afraid, everyone is learning.  And once you understand, communicate what you have learned so others can understand and be on the same page.  Any time you find out information that would be valuable to others, share it.  Communication is the key to a smooth transition.

Stay with your winning routine.  You know what you are doing, that is why you are the amazing Admin that you are.  Continue to keep your goals in sight and work towards them.  Stay the course.  If you are working on improving a skill, continue to work on it.  Embrace the changes, but do not be changed by them.

We are constantly changing.  As Admins, our jobs change daily . . . hourly, even.  How many of you come in with a TO DO LIST and as soon as you sit down at your desk, the emails come barging in with “others” to do lists which take precedence over what you had on yours.  Or the phone rings with a request that needs to be handled immediately.  How about your executive comes in and just in the way they are walking, you know you need to grab a pen and pad of paper to take down the to do list from your executive.  You handle these changes like a PRO!!!!

I am looking forward to this change.  I am sad to see Dr. Strudwick retire, but I have been a part of conversations with José and am looking forward to what he will bring to our school.

Are you afraid of change?  Are you great at change?  Please share your comments with us below.

Jackie