How To Prep Your Change Initiative To Take Time Off At End Of Year

Could you do with some time off?  I know I could.


To make the most of your time off you’ve got to prepare and create the space to make it happen.  Future you will be so happy you did!


Seriously, now is the time to think about this stuff.  


Prepare your change initiative now so you can enjoy a few well deserved weeks off - not thinking about work at all! - secure in the knowledge that the transformation program you’re responsible for is still on track and stakeholders are supported during the time you’re off.


To help you do just that, today on The New Way podcast, I’m sharing how to prepare your change initiative to take time off at the end of the year.  I’m covering the exact 4 steps I always take - and that I recommend you take right now too! - to set this up for yourself.


Listen in to discover:

  • How to build relationships with stakeholders by communicating your boundaries

  • Why you MUST put scaffolding in place for Q1 2022 now (and exactly what to think about here)

  • How to make your existing content and resources keep working while you’re on leave

  • A powerful perspective shift that will forever change the way you think about your Out of Office autoresponder


I hope this ep gives you a checklist to use and inspires you to take considered action now to set stuff up.  


The benefits of preparing now mean that you’ll be able to hit the ground running when you’re back on deck next year, knowing you did everything you could to support and maintain relationships with key stakeholders while you were away.  


Imagine how great it’ll feel when you can close the laptop on your last day before Chrissy, knowing that everything’s sorted and you can drop into holiday mode without worrying about work!


I’ve still got a few weeks before I’ll be turning my Out of Office on, but this is the last podcast episode for the year.


I hope you find it really useful!


TOPICS DISCUSSED AND WHERE TO FIND THEM:

[1:18]: Exhaustion and burnout is a hallmark of change managers. The world and the way we work has been changing very quickly in the last 2 years. Experts have been more in demand than ever before.  

[2:07]: Remember, it’s okay to take time off and rest. To make the most of your time off, you must prepare and create space for it to happen. 

[3:25]: I’m going to share the 4 steps I take to prepare your change initiative for the end of the year. 

[4:14]: #1 Figure out and communicate what your leave, availability and status will be with key stakeholders. Will you be checking your email or completely offline? It’s up to you but you must communicate your decision. 

[5:55]: I like to communicate my decision through live informal interaction (rather than email). 

[6:32]: #2 Plan out your quarter one for 2022 now. You need to understand your priorities when you return from leave. What are your themes, goals, milestones, deliverables, and events for the first quarter? 

[8:25]: When you’re clear on your plan, find ways to set up the scaffolding for it now. 

[8:59]: #3 Considering how you can repurpose your most popular or important content over this period. Stakeholders often need to be exposed to key messages several times for things to sink in. 

[10:44]: With a small amount of effort on your part now, key messages about the transformation program can still be shared, promoted, distributed and accessed by people when you’re on leave. 

[11:31]: Talk to the internal communications team and ask them which content was the most well-received. Ask them if they can republish content in a new way. 

[13:19]: To do it more simply, create and schedule a series of emails sharing existing good news stories or case studies from this year and resources. 

[14:12]: #4 How to set up your out of office for maximal effect. Phase 1: As soon as you know when you’ll be on leave, update your signature block to include some information about it. 

[15:23]: Phase 2: The business day before your leave officially starts, turn your out of office on. It must include the relevant key messages, a call to action, links to important resources, and information on who to contact in an emergency. 

[17:05]: Take the time to follow these steps now. You’ll be able to hit the ground running next year and feel relaxed over your break. 

[17:55]: Find me over at LinkedIn if you’d like to connect.

LINKS

Website: https://www.everchange.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkatebyrne/

Kate Byrne