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NAVIGATING A SEA OF CHANGE CONVENTION CENTERS: By Stacey Church Someone once told me that change is our constant companion. The


 true. We all know this industry is full of relocations, promotions, man- agement changes, and operating transitions. If you have had an op- portunity to manage through any of these situations, you know exactly   been lost on me, as I have spent the past few years navigating a variety of professional changes. 


-  of transition, I have found the tips below to be extremely helpful in ensuring you make it through what can sometimes be a professionally and personally challenging situation.      will most likely be nervous about any upcoming change, so it is vital that the message they receive from management both verbally and by our day to day actions is consistently positive. In other words, never let them see you sweat! While it will be easy to dwell on the negatives, refocusing on accomplishments will help keep those positive vibes  Staying focused on the organization’s core function is also import- ant during times of transformation. It is easy to get caught up in play-  outside of your control. Heading into work each day, concentrating on the tasks that help move our organization’s forward will be more        How many times have we heard the response “we’ve always done


it that way?” In the pre-change operating environment, the old way    - - tion. When we have been at one organization or worked for the same manager for some time, it is easy to develop a level of comfort in op- erating the way we always have. However, change often comes with              accomplish our goals. Approaching each day with an open mind will


help you successfully manage through change. Times of transition can be extremely stressful, so remembering to


stay organized, by making time for those things that are important to you, will help you through any transition. These organizational skills  directions with multiple priorities. Change often times comes with a new or revised set of goal,s which may require us to shift our focus. This shifting should not come at the expense of your personal needs. Starting each day with a plan will help ensure your success both pro- fessionally and personally. Procrastination can be the downfall of the best of us. Being proac-


tive is key to avoiding the pitfalls that can come with a tough transition. Both internal and external customers are expecting the same results they are used to. Your competitors are still operating at 100 percent, so  imperative that you do so. Breaking large projects into several smaller projects, delegating projects than can be to members of your team, and making decisions instead of adding unresolved issues to your to- do list are just a few strategies to help avoid those pitfalls that come from putting projects on the back burner. Lastly, we have to remember the most important tip of all, unplug-


ging. No matter how many new tasks or projects we have to work on, no matter how big the pile of work seems to get, unplugging is the key to keeping your sanity. Technology is a great tool but it has pretty much erased any lines that existed between work time and personal time. I know we feel obligated to check and respond to our emails in the evening or to work on a project before bed. However, when we   unplugging will help us head into work the next day committed to tackling all that the day can throw at us. Change can be tough, but there is (usually) a light at the end of the tunnel although it may take some time for you to get to a point where you can actually see the light. The beauty of this situation is that any-    can choose to change the organization that we are a part of. Even so, keeping these tips in mind and focusing on transformation will help as we attempt to navigate the continuous sea of change that exists in today’s workplace. FM


Stacey Church is the general manager of the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville.


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