Every year, OIWC selects a Professional Development theme based on feedback from its members. For 2012, the theme is one that is relevant to every member, no matter what your life or work situation is: Leading & Navigating Change. This theme will carry through regional events, webinars, trade show events, newsletter articles, and more, providing you with a multitude of tools to help you lead and navigate the changes in your life.

Change is inevitable. And no matter what the change -- from seemingly simple to blatantly big -- the goal is to navigate it so you emerge on the other side with a positive outcome. Throughout 2012, OIWC will utilize The Change Cycle model, which identifies the thoughts, feelings and behaviors associated with the stages of change. OIWC has enlisted professional change agents who will lend their knowledge on the Change Cycle during the year.

OIWC members manage various types of change, both professional (company changing ownership or changing strategies, job promotions, job losses, relocation, travel, new bosses, and new employees) and personal (marriage, divorce, illnesses, having children, caring for parents, buying new houses and more). OIWC will address various types of change and how to approach them throughout the year with these four quarterly focuses:

• Q1: Assessing Change: Study the Change Cycle Locator to pinpoint where you are in the change cycle. By having a better understanding of the cyclical nature of change you will be better equipped to navigate thru the process. The Locator can be used over and over as a way to measure your progress.
  

• Q2: Change for Yourself: How do you know if it’s time for a job change? How do you know if it’s time for a personal change? You will use the knowledge from the Locator assessment to select the best strategies and actions for your personal and professional growth. Through online and regional events, you will also hear from industry leaders on how they deal with change for themselves.

• Q3: Change for your Team: How do you manage challenging changes within your team? How do you initiate and lead change when you see it’s needed? Using the Locator assessment you will learn how best to navigate a team change and clearly identify the real issues at hand.

• Q4: Change for your Business: How do you initiate and lead a change that affects so many people? How can you consciously navigate thru change while taking the right actions for your business? Emotions which accompany so many of life changes can harm your business or organization. Learn thru the Locator assessment, industry experts and other OIWC members how to make your way with confidence.

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