So you want to explore a career in change? Do you consider yourself to be a 'people person?' Here are five questions you should reflect on before taking the leap:

1. How resilient are you in the face of adversity? In lots of organisations change is not understood or mature as a function. So it can be a hard slog affecting change, influencing and coaching stakeholders on why you are even in the organisation to begin with. Project Managers may challenge you and your professional guidance may be flat out rejected. So you need to be tough, resilient and measured with your approach. 

2. How empathetic are you? The more you can walk a mile in someone else's shoes the better a change manager you will be. If you are simply wanting to tell people what to do, maybe pursue training or another profession. Having compassion and empathy will ensure you take the right approach when people resist the change.

3. Are you willing to learn about yourself to better understand how to facilitate the chang...

One of the common reasons I hear from new Change Managers or Change Analysts is that they wanted to become a Change specialist because they care about people. "I am a people person so I thought I would become a Change Manager". And I say bravo to those who are self-aware and caring, and in the same breath I say you are about to venture into a very rewarding but at times challenging career path.

But I wasn't always a Change Manager. In fact 'Change Management' didn't exist when I graduated from University in my early 20's in Marketing. And I was lucky in my first role in an Insurance company, as I learned the ropes from a great Marketing/Communications Manager - shout out to Dawn! While I started in Marketing, I began to understand that campaign work was similar to project management (which was just developing as a discipline) and you needed to be structured as well as be able to be creative.

Some years on and working in Marketing but on projects such as events, launches and in direct...

You need your team to work in a new way because you are automating processes with new technology, or you have changed the roles and functions in your team but haven't thought through how that will change your day to day work. Not only that but you haven't thought yet about how your team works with other areas or departments. Now you face spending the next 3 months working out all of the details and getting back on your feet. How could this have been avoided? Through the discipline called Change Management.

In business the main question you ask when looking at introducing something new, is 'how soon can we get this in?'. A better question would be 'how long will it take to get to the end state we are pitching for?'. Another great question is 'what will the return on my investment be'?, even on projects that are mandated from the powers that be. Whether it be changing the way you do things, introducing new products, or modifying existing products with tightening profit margins and decre...