Adaptability – from Aboard the Paris-London Eurostar Train
My last article talked about training. If I had to plot a graph of “Dullest vs Most Valuable Training,” I would proudly place proper typing skills in the upper right hand corner. But the mind-numbing hours of practice have certainly paid off over the years. As colleagues pick out letters on their keyboards using the hunt-and-peck method, I effortlessly pump out prose at high speed. (That’s not to say my accuracy’s all that, in triu8rth my backspace key is worn to a shine).
Today, I believe I’ve achieved my personal best. As I type, I’ve reached speeds of roughly 170 mph and I’m feeling pretty smug… as I sip coffee & munch a croissant, tapping my backspace key on the London-Paris Eurostar train.
Some major changes are being made to improve the efficiency of the Eurostar train’s London to Paris route, which set me thinking about change and adaptability.
Sometimes, firms and their change management teams are nervous of making too many changes at once for fear of confusion, ignorance, resistance etc. But sometimes bold measures are required and we do need radical overnight changes. For what it’s worth, my top four tips for how to adapt to radical change are a) plan in detail, think through worst case scenarios; b) never underestimate how often people need to be told; c) create a catchphrase …it’s odd, but it helps and d) tightly manage the process – don’t let the train run away with you. Actually, given my current circumstances, I’d rather not talk about runaway trains.
How readily we adapt. When Eurostar started, Londoners were enticed by the ease of lunch in Paris, back home for dinner. The concept of one-day business travel to Continental European cities was not only possible, but efficient. Brunch on the way over to a meeting in Paris, dinner on the way back and all in relative peace and comfort, I can even plug in my laptop. Perfect.
But all is not good. At the heart of the changes, Eurostar has improved its Paris-London journey time slicing 20 minutes from the London/Channel Tunnel section. Therefore, to do the same amount of work in one trip, and improve my efficiency at the same rate, I’ll have to learn to type a lot faster. Brace yourself backspace key, it’s going to be a rocky ride.
Contributed by Julia Streets
