#768 round three

Over the weekend, I was lucky enough to visit some friends and their week-old baby.  I love  "floppy-head babies" (my term of endearment for newborns) and delighted in snuggling him for the entire time we were there.

This is Baby #3 for my friends, so they are very calm and unfazed by the new addition to the family.  They have already been on outings and errands and are taking the whole change in routine in stride.

Contrast that with the baby's aunt, who is expecting her first.  Having a baby -- and figuring out how to care for it -- is an entirely different thing.  She has been peppering my friends with questions, but mostly it is hard to ask about what you don't know about.  It is precisely that unknown that dominates her thinking and fears.

This scenario can be a metaphor for whatever new is going on in your organization.  The first time someone goes through a change, a process or a new event, it takes on larger than life proportions and the intensity is magnified.  By the time they are doing something for the second or third time, the process gets put into perspective and the confidence learned from round one carries forward.  

As an example, in parent orientation I talk about how it's a monumental event when the first child goes of to college.  But when the whole family learns that they can still thrive, it becomes less emotional when child number two leaves.  The same is true in organizational settings and many other things in life.

The next time something is new and uncomfortable, remember that most of the intimidation is simply from not knowing.  Once you have been through it and know what to expect, you'll be a pro -- not because you're that much smarter, but because you're that much more confident.

--- beth triplett

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