1. What made this experience significant for you?  
2. What did you do to cause the change to have a positive outcome?  
3. How did you know it was the appropriate time to make the change?  
4. How would you suggest someone prepare to make such an experience more expeditious or effortless (to simplify their process)?   
5. Has this impacted your beliefs about future changes and if so how?  
6. What did you use as a support for your transition process?

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (change work style)

"I'm always at that assessment phase, internal or external."  

- April Dmytrenko

1. Worked with people who were terrible bosses, but great teachers for me. Tried to instill in myself how to be respectful of my self and my staff. If I promise something, I give it to them. If I can't make that date, I tell them.

2. I'm a centered person, so I don't let situations get me in a tizzy.

3. When working with a team of people, not assuming that I have it going on, but challenging myself to never assume I'm a good listener and work on it. There is always a calm way to sit down and talk about it. There should never be any situation where you have to raise your voice and be disrespectful to another person.

4. I've tried to make sure I was aware of how I come across. I might think that I am a good listener, but you can't assume that. You have to do a methodical check and balance. I would do this exercise to check in to see if I was listening and being with them or being distracted because I didn't have the time.

5. You can't assume someone is reading your mind or knows where you're coming from. You have to talk to them. If it's important you'll make the time. If my boss is not listening I set up a quality time where he's away from the phone, then I've got his attention. It's made me be more of a strategist in learning how to move things forward the way I'd like to. I've become better at what I do because how I think of myself is how others think of me.  

6. We do internal assessment work and I've encouraged employees to take the time to invest in themselves. I have peers, friends (male and female) I bounce things off. I'm always open to how they might offer guidance. Even with my employees I tell them I don't have all the answers and welcome their perspective and ideas. A lot of the team's personality is set by the team leader or those at the top who determine how things are going to operate.

- April Dmytrenko, V.P. of Studio Relations and Information Management, Sony

"When the active time ahead in life is shorter than the time behind, then you see there's less time for making non-productive choices.   It's time to have it work.   As you lean forward past your 50's take less time in the laboratory and more time in the field, you don't want to make too many left turns. You've learned more about yourself and you're more apt to buckle in so you can be more effective."

- Marshall Hasbrouck

1. I've come to see I'm adequate to meet the challenges that change presents. I'm equal to the task. I've told myself if others can do this I can do this too. The inability is not the barrier. Time, credentials and money can sometimes be the problem. Not too concerned about fear, I have a trust in the door opening. I see other people are doing that, then why not me?  

2. Have a positive attitude. In general I'm fairly spontaneous and I'm willing to jump into things. For example, I'm doing a project in Costa Rica to repair an old building in the middle of a forest. I plan to do a fundraiser/art exhibit for it. I want to have my paintings be connected to the biological conservation part of it. I'm just really interested in a lot of stuff and I have a high number of things that I can imagine doing. The fact that I'm doing one thing and not another is rather arbitrary. I guess I lose patience with the formal process to do some things. I have an education in these areas, but that doesn't necessarily prepare you that much better for doing it.

3. If you're doing something that takes a long time to master than the earlier you start the better. I don't take the long planning route, but go with what feels right ultimately. I mull it over at some level, not taking a great deal of time, but I don't think of it a lot, the answer is more obvious if I let it simmer a little. There's something about letting it percolate for a little while. When I really don't know what to do then I just do it and it tends to not be a rational thing. It's not always the one that has the biggest pro or con column. It's more emotional than rational. I don't go over reasons.

4. Sometimes I've been startled there are other answers that would have fit so doing some research ahead of time might be helpful. However, unless you have a focus, you can get sidetracked. I'm an old hitchhiker, I proceed as the way opens.

5. When the active time ahead in life is shorter than the time behind, then you see there's less time for making non-productive choices. It's time to have it work.  As you lean forward past your 50's take less time in the laboratory and more time in the field-you don't want to make too many left turns. You've learned more about yourself and you're more apt to buckle in so you can be more effective. I want to have a powerful impact on my surroundings. I look toward being more effective.  

6. I'm discovering that I can be more effective than I have been simply by doing it, going for it.  

1. I'd had a supervisory position in my department. One of the people in the department I was a good friend with. She came to me and said I had become someone she didn't like anymore. I was aware of my changes, but didn't realize it had impacted others. I felt like I'd been slapped across the face. I went on a biking vacation and talked to another friend about that comment.   My friend at my office had been very specific and that made me see that's not who I wanted to be or how I deeply viewed myself. I saw I needed to make a change.

2. I came back and met with the Director. Told him I was unhappy with who I'd been becoming based on my situation of dealing with certain individuals. I told him to put me in another position in the same department, even if it was lower pay, or I'd have to leave. I was completely comfortable with his saying no and being willing to give notice and doing something else. I took that role, staying on for 3 1/2 years.   What was challenging was the perception of others that I'd been demoted simply because of the salary decrease. In fact at my new job 13 years later I had to convince my interviewer that my salary decrease was about the type and quality of the work and most importantly to stay on track with the type of person I considered myself to be. Initially I responded defensively, but saw it absolutely reflected their view and not mine. It was so obvious to me that I was making the right decision. Fortunately too, I could afford the financial adjustment.

3. Part of the real joy had been this group of friends and we were cutups and did stupid things. I'd been aware that was not happening as frequently and my friend's comment helped me face an issue of how my personality was changing at the time. There was no question in my mind after this. I felt a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders when I made the job change.

4. It may be trusting more than analyzing all the pros and cons, which can be paralyzing.  Being willing to walk from the professional track that you've been following and say, " maybe this isn't the right fit for me." If you don't have a supportive boss or someone who can look with you for your best fit in a job, than you need to accumulate the finances and develop the emotional ability to leave and the contacts and support group who you can cry, bitch with, and help get you through. You must gain confidence in your own standing as well as your skills.

5. I'm real confident person. I don't have any great fear. But I've also positioned myself financially where if a situation arises and I need to walk, I can. I don't scrimp on self-care, but I also don't handcuff myself to the job if it's wrong.

6. Took a vacation and talked with a friend. I didn't go back to work right away when I returned, but consulted other local friends who didn't know the people at work, but simply could hear the issue I was confronting. I didn't ask for their validation or advise, but felt it was important to tell them what I was going to do and asked for their support. I didn't share it with people I worked with because I knew they'd have a vested interest in keeping me there.