5 EASY STEPS TO MANAGING CHANGE

“Map out your future, but do it in pencil.” – Jon Bon Jovi

What kind of advice is that? What I want to emphasize is the importance of staying flexible. Change happens. It is really the only constant in your life. Each person has a unique reaction to change. Some people embrace change, some to the point of seeking it out. For those who accept change reluctantly, if at all, that is a radical concept. Where are you on the scale? “1” hates change, “3” is neutral to change, “5” embraces change:

1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5

Just as everyone reading this article, will have a different reaction to change, so it is true for the people you supervise. It is important to realize the variety of reactions you will get when you go to implement a change. When you have big changes, you also get big reactions. So what is a manager to do?

No matter the reason for the change, it is important to consider and involve your staff. They see you as having all the information. They have no information, but they do have rumor and imagination. These are trying times we live in. Bad news is all over media. When people are in the dark, they imagine the worst.

Here is a five-step process to help navigate through the change in a least scathed manner. Change is hard for some people. They will not change without a fight. Be prepared for that, and you’re halfway there.

Communication

First and foremost, is you must communicate. Tell the truth, the WHOLE truth. That is how you build trust. Tell staff everything you know. If you don’t know, say that. Do NOT make something up just to give them an answer. Knowledge is power, so you are empowering your staff by giving them information. Be transparent. Address resistance as it pops up. It isn’t going to go away. Focus on solutions, the good this change will bring. Actively listen to staff. Being heard is vital to them, now more than ever. A great way to involve employees is to solicit feedback. What do they see as the positives? What do they see as the best way to address some of the challenges?

The main things employees want to know are just three things:

1. What is changing?

2. What will actually be different because of the change?

3. Who is going to lose what?

If you address these issues honestly and openly, you will keep most of your staff. Be aware this change might be just what motivates someone to seek other employment. That’s good. They wouldn’t be part of the solution anyway. I’m sure these were the questions on your mind too, when you first heard about the change. Start an inventory of the barriers to productivity as you move through the changes. What is preventing you moving forward?

Help Them Let Go

Identify who is losing what. What are they really losing? It maybe colleagues or a process they enjoy. Whatever it is, expect subjective reactions. Be prepared for over-reactions. Remember, their world of work is shifting under their feet. They will need time to adjust. Be empathetic, their loss is real to them. Even if it is a change to a process that “everyone” hates, it is familiar to them, whereas, the change is unknown.

Grief

Expect them to grieve their loss(es). Learn about grief and learn the signs. There are five stages to grief in the respected Kübler-Ross [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Stages_of_Grief ] model (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance). People will walk around, not smiling, no joking in the halls. To help them (and thus you) define what is over. Mark the endings (this is our last …). Treat the past with respect. It is their work, don’t minimize the effort. There was good in the old, just like there will good in the new. Let people take a piece of the old with them; an old job duty or, if a move is involved, an object. Allow time for healing to take place. Don’t rush the process; let the process be your friend. Finally, don’t mistake grief for low morale.

Transitions

As you transition between the old and the new, develop a strategy for change that takes into account the initial resistance. As the change moves through its stages, keep everyone up-to-date. These progress reports will be very helpful in allaying fears in your staff. Evaluate what has happened thus far. If you or the company needs to make a course correction, include that in your progress reports. If you know why, include that too. Support calculated risk-taking by your staff. It may not be the exact change you anticipated, but it may be better at the end of the day. Look for opportunities to brainstorm. Nobody has all the correct answers. Brainstorming will also inform you of perceived obstacles by your staff. Then you can inform people with what you know or include these into your course corrections. Transitioning is a process, too. Don’t rush for closure too soon. Let the process be your friend.

Build New Relationships

Help to build a new employee relationship. Eliminate non-essential tasks. Provide a participatory environment with employee voices and choices. I know, this may be scary and uncharted territory for you. The rewards are worth it. So let go of your need to control. Trust your staff, just as they trust you. Settle into the new ways and rhythms before doing any long-term career planning. To make your performance and reward system relevant, ask staff, “How do you want to be rewarded?” Money may not be the carrot they want.

What else?

What else can you do? Avoid the “all or nothing” thinking that often accompanies trauma. Change is traumatic. Be gentle, but firm with people. Stay consistent. That way you maintain a stable appearance. Practice self-care and manage your stress. That will help you stay consistent and stable. Behave like someone we respect.

Find and communicate the good side to the change. “Change your thoughts, and you change your world” (Norman Vincent Peale). When you believe this change is for the better, your staff will (finally) believe you. Capitalize on the WIIFM syndrome (what’s in it for me?). You will get more of what you want by finding a way to give people more of what they want. This is an opportunity for decision-making. Listen carefully and use it wisely. As the saying goes, “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.” Trying to lift morale after a big change is like putting a band-aid on a broken arm. Not so effective is it? Let people process through their grief at their pace. You’ll know when they are ready to move on. Seize that moment and capitalize on it. Do an inventory of what you do control. Then let go of what you can’t control. That’s a move towards sanity all by itself.

            “Hope is not a strategy. We have to plan.” (Dr. Julie Gerberding)

Don’t hope for the best. PLAN for the best outcome, and you’ll get it.

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com