Nothing stays the same – you are either evolving into something new or you are becoming obsolete and irrelevant. Change is even more evident and drastic in the world of work. If you think about it, just a few years ago only a few people enjoy the benefits of working from home. However, with the rise of reliable internet services and secure computer applications, people are now able to work and live anywhere.
Managing change can be very tricky and it is extremely essential that managers and leaders get it right. The goal of this blog post is to introduce you to some best practices and strategies that you will need to consider in order to get the change process right.
Below will be our area of focus for this article.
- Get and in-depth knowledge of the change.
- Lead by example
- Partner with early adopters
- Be patient with late adopters
- Encourage resistors to be positive
- Introduce change gradually
- Encourage feedback
- Provide frequent updates
Get and in-depth knowledge of the change
As a leader, your duty is to garner as much knowledge as you can about the impending change. This is very important in the change process and it as no bearing on whether or not you are initiating the change or you are just one of the key people executing this function. This strategy is to equip you with the knowledge about the change in order for you to be an effective change agent. During this phase, you should be able to identify the reason for the change, the goal, key contributors, the time frame for the change, affected team members and departments, as well as the different milestones towards its completion. Having this information will aid you in responding confidently to the questions and concerns of the team as the process gets going.
Lead by example
Leading by example is a critical trait that is necessary for all leaders to be successful at their jobs. Team members are looking towards their leaders to model the expected behavior when a new workflow, policy or system is implemented. Too often changes are implemented that are arbitrarily imposed on regular team members and managers comply only at their discretion. Do not be this leader – it is to your detriment. Instead, adhere to all the requirements of the change and model this new behavior. This demonstrates to the team that you are joining forces with them and that you are a leader with integrity. Therefore, for you to lead by example in the change process – you will need to arm yourself with the ins and outs of the change, as this will allow you to walk the talk.
Partner with early adopters
In every sphere of life, they are people who get very excited about change and are always seemed to be ready as soon as it is announced. You need these people in your corner to help you champion the cause. These early adopters are your cheerleaders and are extremely crucial to the process. As they will help to communicate the change to their peers in language that they can understand. Furthermore, these employees are able to articulate the benefits of previous changes that they went through together and how they came out better afterwards. Consider making these employees superusers for new applications, so that they can get to experience the new system beforehand and provide feedback for improvement.
Be patient with late adopters
Not everyone will be excited about a change – this is perfectly okay, since many people are interested in seeing how the change will playout before they embrace the new way. Your employees are no different. Late adopters are skeptical about changes since most times what they are doing seems to be working fine and to them, no improvement or change is necessary. These employees will need to be encouraged to see the bigger picture on what you are trying to achieve. They are also good candidates to provide testimonials or success stories about their initial apprehensions and how well the change went. As well as how they have benefited since the change.
Encourage resistors to be positive
Resistors to change are a necessary part of the change process. They are there to help you think outside of the box. Many times, changes are implemented without taking into consideration how the staff will feel and how devastating it might be to their morale. The resistors are able to channel the frustration and the uncertainty of some of the team members who are afraid to speak up but share the same or similar views of the situation. By taking their thoughts into consideration – you are able to examine the manner and tone of the message you use to announce the change – as well as any other negative impact that you did not consider. Having resistors on your team can also serve as a double edge sword. Since their skepticism can permeate the team and totally derail what you are trying to achieve. Therefore, their views should be managed and addressed adequately through encouragement and counseling. Your focus should be geared towards providing them with the support and the attention they need to see the positive side of the change.
Introduce change gradually
Implementing widescale changes can be a daunting endeavor and should therefore be orchestrated with care and tact. Instead of rolling out the change process to the entire team – consider a test team. Especially when introducing new computer applications that will be used by team members to do their jobs. Breaking up the process into milestones and by teams or departments are also a good way to gradually introduce change. This will ensure that the entire team is not overwhelmed with the changes. They are also instances where a gradual change is not the most optimal solution. However, in these instances – make sure that adequate and clear information are provided ahead of time. This will allow the team to prepare and get in the right mindset for the change.
Encourage feedback
Providing an avenue for employees to submit honest, open or anonymous feedback should be instituted and carefully monitored. This will provide information on the impact of the change. The feedback will allow management to gain insights on how well things are progressing or not. It is great when things are going according to plans – however, if they are not, corrective measures can be taken early when a feedback system is in place.
Provide frequent updates
Communicating clearly, regularly and providing timely updates are essential to successfully lead your team through any change. Therefore, information and communication about the change should be readily and conveniently available. Consider utilizing information sessions where team members can share their opinions on the changes. This is of paramount importance – especially when changes are expected to be widescale and may result in job lost or realignment. Providing brochures, posters, access to counseling and early access to test environment for new system applications – are also very helpful in managing change.
Conclusion
Leading a team through change is by no means an easy feat. However, the strategies explored in this article, will provide leaders with a solid foundation to build on.
How do you manage change? Share your story – we would love to hear from you.
