< PreviousSo in this metaphor, the “hardware” is the human brain; the “software” is our thinking, our responses, and our behavior.For example: imagine you’re at your local eatery. Your favorite server for the past year — the one who smiles, knows you by name and trades stories with you — now no longer works there. You suddenly feel discomfort, perhaps even a sense of loss.Sound familiar? If it does, congratulations. Your software is operating properly. You’re a normal, functioning human being. “IF ONLY…” When I speak at conferences, the organizations to whom I present who are going through some kind of change all have one thing in common: the human element. It almost doesn’t matter what the actual change is. The one universal theme is trying to manage people’s emotions.“If only we could get people to open up to this change!” says the leadership. “If only people would understand us!” say the teams...and pretty much everybody else. So how do we change our approach to “change?” How do we adopt this philosophy of embracing the unknown, as we are often so good-naturedly advised to do?WHAT TO DO WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENSWhen faced with sudden change, remember the acronym “PAR”:• Pause• Ask• Reevaluate PAUSE. This is the first and most important step. Most likely, you are going to experience some kind of emotion, and you will want to immediately react. Don’t. Take a second. Pause. It can be as simple as just taking a breath or two...but pause.| tribalnetonline.com60| tribalnetonline.com60BYTIM O’SHEA“THE AGENT OF CHANGE”Tim O’Shea, “The Agent Of Change,” is an organizational change expert and conference keynote speaker. With a humorous flair and entertainin style, Tim combines his background in organizational psychology with law enforcement and national security tactics to help leaders and teams navigate change with success. agent@timoshea.com www.timoshea.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR“We are going to make a few changes around here.”Have you noticed whenever these words are uttered, people immediately respond with enthusiasm, excitement, and overwhelming optimism?Right. Neither have I.Change isn’t easy. And unless it’s about the storm being over, the fire being out, or the wicked witch being dead (and we’ve all had some version of that in our lives, haven’t we?), “change” is not exactly the most well-received topic of discussion.As “The Agent Of Change,” my profession is to speak at conferences and help people in organizations understand and manage change effectively. And even I want to curl into a fetal position at the silliest of things, such as the firmware automatically updating on my phone (darn it, where is that app now?).So why do we often go into a nosedive when “change” happens? Well, it turns out our natural tendency is to resist change. In short, it’s just human nature. We like our comfort zones.But there’s another problem:We are often told we need to handle change well. We are told we need to “embrace it.” There’s an overwhelming expectation from almost all areas — leadership, coworkers, even society — that we are supposed to handle change with fluidity, grace, and not let it get us down. “CHANGE” IS LIKE SOFTWAREWhen it comes to managing change, it’s a lot like software: you need the correct version; it needs to be on a compatible platform; and if things aren’t exactly right, it is going to crash in a way you don’t want. (And knowing software, it will anyway.)ASK. This means looking at what’s going on, both internally and externally. Ask a question, one which will help you acquire a different perspective. Examples: “Is there another explanation?” “Is there something going on I don’t know about?” “Does this really have anything to do with me?” REEVALUATE. After you pause and ask new questions, this allows you to then reevaluate the situation — or your reaction to it — to provide you with a new emotional context. Now you have new answers. This provides you with a new perspective, and thus, the opportunity to look at a situation more positively.This three-step process is a simplified version of a traditional cognitive-behavioral model which I’ve adapted for people and organizations. It is extremely effective in shifting away from that “panic mode” to which we naturally default. It takes practice and repetition, but it is quite effective. Even a small difference in your perspective can add up to larger ones with lasting impact. Try it out!FEATURE | CHANGE MANAGEMENTWHAT TO DO WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENSManagingChangeMeet & GreetCocktail Hour Jam SessionThe 20th Annual TribalNetConference & Tradeshowis offering some of theBEST networking eventsin the industry!Bringing Technology & Tribes Together....a division ofVendors- Want to be the one tobring the FUN to TribalNet 2019?Get the most exposure at theweek’s most anticipated events.MONDAY NIGHTTUESDAY NIGHTWEDNESDAY NIGHTParty Like it's 1999!A sure highlightof the week.Continue the FUN andconversations at thisonsite event.Enjoy LIVE musicNashville style.Register TODAY at TribalNetOnline.com • Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact Katie at Katie@TribalNetOnline.comData is your house edge. And we’re all in. Keep customers playing; keep data intact; keep winning.When your system goes down, profits collapse. Your customer data—and your ability to collect and use it—can keep your customers returning sooner and spending more. Don’t risk it. HPE 3PAR StoreServ arrays are installed in native-owned casinos throughout the Tribal Gaming Community.• Predictive support to anticipate and prevent issues• HPE Memory-Driven Flash services workloads with the lowest latency• Handles unpredictable workloads with 99.9999% data availability1Contact Anthony Villalobos at anthonyV2@hpe.com to talk about how HPE can help you keep your house edge.1 Based on HPE analysis of public information for portfolios spanning IDC midrange and high-end price bandsFEATURE | TRIBALNETONLINE.COMREGISTER TODAY AT: TribalNetOnline.comGaylord Opryland Resort & Conference Center, Nashville, TN • NOVEMBER 11TH-14TH, 2019 memberbenetTribalHub memberssave $100 on attendee passes.JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE 20 YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY! Be a part of this MUST ATTEND event bringing together leaders, executives, technologydecision makers AND vendors working in tribal gaming/hospitality, government and health. Enjoy these conference highlightsthroughout the week.MEET & GREETKick o the week with FUN &Party Like It's 1999! 4 KEYNOTE SPEAKERSGet inspired, equipped & motivated2 DAY TRADESHOWConnecting over 100 vendors withtechnology decision makers COCKTAIL HOURKeep the conversations going withthis onsite networking eventJAM SESSIONWrap up an amazing week withlive music- Nashville style....is a division of6 UNIQUE TRACKS*Oering something for everyone-• IT Security• Leadership & Management • General Operations and Technology• Tribal Gaming/Hospitality Technology• Tribal Government Technology• Tribal Health IT*Call For Speakers! - Accepting speaker applications beginning May 1st. - Deadline to apply is June 21st.CONFERENCE & TRADESHOWQUESTIONS? Contact us via phone or email.PHONE: 269-459-9890 • EMAIL: contactus@TribalNetOnline.comtribalnetonline.com |63“The Power of 20” is the theme of this magazine and the 2019 TribalNet Conference. It is a shout out to our many engaged longtime tribal partners and friends, and a call to action and invitation to join us for any individual or tribe that has not yet engaged with us.If I had only known then what I know now...That is a statement commonly uttered by adults everywhere. It is usually heard following an unnecessary hardship, bad decision or perhaps a costly mistake. Knowledge and information obtained a bit too late. TribalNet and all of the TribalHub resources reduce the odds that you will utter those words in anger over your workplace decisions. We connect you to wisdom through a network of business, peer and professional resources while providing you access to over 20 years of collected data and knowledge about tribes.So how can TribalNet and “The Power of 20” benefit you and your tribe? Let me take a quick look back at my own career and share how I could have benefited from all that TribalNet and now TribalHub, offers. It was almost 30 years ago that I first began working for a tribe in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and admittedly I was guilty of uttering, "If I had only known then what I know now" far too often. It was 20 years ago that I grew frustrated enough with tribes working almost entirely in their own bubble, the inspiration behind the creation of TribalNet, which has now grown and expanded to become TribalHub.A core problem of any executive working for a tribe has always been availability of, and access to, the best information and resources. This is where TribalHub steps in to provide you with the same resources that would have helped me in my career. CONNECTIONS: Whether it is finding a peer at another tribe, a solution provider or an answer, TribalHub members have access to 20 years of data in our information portal, and our annual TribalNet Conference brings together hundreds of your peers. Connections not only improve your decision making process but personally will enhance your career long-term.INFORMATION AND INSIGHTS: Access to what other similar tribes are doing, what systems they are using and how they are structured is valuable to any tribal employee. Access to this type of information would have saved me hundreds of thousands of dollars in research, consulting costs and poor decisions in my own career. TribalHub makes this available through the member information portal, the annual TribalNet Conference, webinars, industry surveys/research and this magazine. TRAINING: In my own career I always understood the importance of continuous training and development for myself and my team. The problem was finding the time, a cost that was reasonable and solutions that worked in a Native American organization. TribalHub solves this via TribalWise with access to quality, affordable training in online, on-site or virtual formats.RESOURCES AND SERVICES: We have all made partner and vendor decisions that we later regret. These can be painful and expensive mistakes. TribalHub moves the odds in your favor by connecting you with proven solutions at the best cost through TribalValue, and knowledgeable consulting through TribalFocus. This magazine and the annual TribalNet Conference are additional resources.I hope that you will join us in celebrating 20 years and sharing “The Power of 20” at the TribalNet Conference in Nashville, TN this November. Become a TribalHub member to boost your own career, improve your decision making and gain access to all we have to offer.I’d love to personally connect with you — find me on LinkedIn or email me direct at mday@tribalhub.com BYMICHAEL DAYFOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER, TRIBALHUBNext >