You can react to change and upheaval at work in two ways. You can feel dumped on and sorry for yourself, and then lash out at coworkers or hide under a desk until the problem goes away—which it probably won’t. Or, you can take another approach—with much better results.

What’s that approach? Understand that change is normal, and come up with a plan of action to cope with the change.

That’s the advice of Salvatore R. Maddi, PhD, founder of the Hardiness Institute in Irvine, Calif., and coauthor of Resilience at Work: How to Succeed No Matter What Life Throws at You.

Shifting circumstances

“These are turbulent times,” Dr. Maddi says. “Not only do we have the usual market forces leading to upsizing, downsizing, mergers, and changes in products and services, but we now have unanticipated competition from around the world, the undermining effects of terrorism, plus tremendously rapid technological advances. Workers today can no longer look for easy comfort and security.”

He says it’s important to look at change in a positive light. Realize all change, no matter how stressful, brings opportunity. When one door closes, another one opens. Whether you’re facing an impossible deadline, an unwanted new job description, or a potential job loss, stay open to change and apply the right coping skills. In this way, you can identify and take advantage of creative, satisfying opportunities to learn and grow.

Here are other ideas from Dr. Maddi:

  • See your problem from a broader perspective. Take a moment to look at all the significant stressors in your life. For each of them, ask yourself: How could things be even worse than they are now? How could things be better? “The ability to view your problem as somewhere in the middle will make it a little more tolerable,” explains Dr. Maddi. “And because it’s more tolerable, you can start to analyze it more accurately, rather than being so angry or anxious you can’t even think about it.”
  • Come up with an action plan. For example, the solution to your problem may be as simple as explaining yourself more clearly to your supervisor and asking for clarification in return. “If you’re able to correct a problem, you’ll realize, ‘Great, I’ve learned from this and now I’m better off than I was before,” he says.
  • Give and get support. Don’t fight with your peers or try to undermine them. You’re all in this together—try to give them assistance and encouragement, and get them to help you in return.

Benefits of practice

As you practice these steps, you’ll naturally increase your sense of commitment to your work, control over your circumstances, and openness to challenges.

“Commitment, control, and challenge are what I call the three Cs,” Dr. Maddi says. “The more you cultivate these three, the more resilient you’ll be amid any kind of life change—and the brighter your future will be.”

Instead of pulling back, you’ll want to stay involved. Instead of wanting to give up, you’ll want to have an influence. You’ll look for ways to turn problems into an advantage. You’ll grow in wisdom and develop accordingly.

“You just need to realize there’s no other way in these challenging times,” he adds. “You can’t just protect yourself and hide, hoping everything will go well. You need to rise to the occasion, and to do that, you just need to develop some hardiness skills.”