Change
happens - sometimes it's planned while other times it's unforeseen.
It can be minor, affecting very few people, or it can turn your entire
company upside-down. Change can be a positive force which invigorates
your organization or it can be a threat to your existence. The challenge
is managing change regardless of the reason or magnitude of the change,
your employees will need help coping.
When you're looking
to make a small change, it can often be done very easily with only
minor problems. But when change requires a major pattern shift, it
can cause a high degree of trauma-especially in an organizational
setting.
Behavior is a result of learned responses to our environment. It is
based on how we view the world. In order to modify behavior and bring
about change, we must first modify our assumptions. These have been
formed by our life experiences, how we have interpreted our experiences,
and the information we have learned from them.
The people who work for you have their own unique life experiences
and interpretations of those events. Therefore, when you say something
to an employee, he or she may interpret it quite differently from
what you intended. For example the word "team" may have a different
meaning for each of your employees depending upon their experience
with teams.
Part of your job as an executive is to be aware of your employees'
unique perspectives. To bring about change within your organization
you must provide new experiences which will modify your employees'
experiences and interpretations. This will, in turn, change their
assumptions, and help bring about the desired change in their behavior.
Sometimes simply providing new information will cause people to have
an "a-ha" insight and change their perceptions. Other times, however,
you must follow a more structured process that will allow your people
to discover and see what you want them to experience.
| Identify
the Level of Change |
Before determining
how to facilitate a change in your company, you should first identify
the level, or intensity of the change.
Level
1: Replicating what works - Level one change involves doing
more of what you're already doing. A good example is opening a new
store or office with the same format as your existing ones. Level
one changes are less complicated to implement because you are replicating
what you know works. You do not have to deal with the issue of altering
your employees' principles. If you do your homework and your prototype
is sound, level one change should be relatively easy.
Level
2: Stakeholders ask for the change - In level two, the
people involved ask for the change because they want a better result
or a better way of doing things. This type of change usually requires
new ways of doing work. At a minimum, employees will find changes
uncomfortable, at the worst, they'll see them as threatening. They
will naturally resist new methods and try to continue doing things
the old way. Employees may even forget they were the ones who requested
the change in the first place.
Any time you attempt a level two change, you will get moaning, groaning,
griping and exaggerated frustration. This is not a sign of failure.
Instead, it means that the process is moving along. Remember that
if the change is the right thing to do, you have to manage the griping
and "stick to your guns."
Level
3: Changes are imposed upon the organization - Level three
changes can be initiated by top management, mandated by outside agencies,
or necessitated by environmental factors. They sometimes hit when
employees (and possibly you) least expect them. Like level two changes,
they also involve changing behavior and the way people work. As a
result, you still get the grousing and griping, but with even more
intensity.
One key to implementing a level three change is to use selling and
persuading skills to help people understand why the change is necessary.
Merely announcing the change won't do the trick; you need to sell
it to your organization and gain their buy-in.
The more accurately you can identify the level of change you're attempting,
the better you can manage it. With level one change, you can simply
delegate assignments and back off. But with level two and three changes,
you must stay personally involved and use a more structured approach
until the projects are completed.
Setting the vision, mission, and goals is not enough to bring about
level two or level three changes . You must help your people see why
the present condition is unacceptable, and how the change will make
your organization (and their jobs) better. People will generally do
what they perceive to be in their best interest. Showing them how
the change benefits them will help generate the momentum needed to
move from the old to the new.
Remember, it takes time to manage level two and three changes. Limit
the number of major change projects you undertake to correlate with
the competency levels and availability of your key people and yourself.
Leading group
change is challenging because people naturally tend to think the worst.
The following provides you with some leadership strategies to overcome
negativity and move your business ahead during level two and three
changes. These same strategies can be reworked slightly and applied
to leading change in any group. There are three main stages people
need to experience when undergoing a change:
|
Letting
Go of the Old.
|
|
Moving
From the Old to the New
|
|
Accepting
the New
|
All endings are
difficult because they require leaving the familiar behind. Even when
people logically see the need for change, they may resist it emotionally.
People need time to "let go." An attempt to skip, or rush, the process
of letting go will result in resistance or resentment. There are several
strategies to help you get through this stage.
Explain clearly,
frequently and in a variety of forms what is happening and why. Ask
people for their input and make sure you listen when they give it!
They often know the most effective changes that need to be made because
they are closest to the situation. They are also more likely to buy-in
when they feel their concerns and ideas are being heard.
When people actively
participate, they will react more positively than if changes are just
dropped on them. Providing employees with a sense of control will
also alleviate the feeling of helplessness.
| Recognize
That Every Person Will React To Change Differently |
Each person has
a different position with different beliefs, expectations, obligations,
resources, and goals. You must be flexible when dealing with people
in times of change. Also, don't be surprised if you see different
sides of people during times of transition. For example, someone who
is always outgoing and optimistic may become withdrawn.
As previously
mentioned, people will always gripe and complain during changes. So,
it may help to set up legitimate "grousing times" where employees
can formally voice their complaints. These meetings will help cut
down on the griping in the hallways and around the water cooler. They
can also help you gauge how well employees are handling the change,
and where they need more help. Allowing employees to vent is therapeutic.
But, it's critical to end each meeting by reviewing why the change
is necessary and why things will be better in the future.
| Be
Prepared For Saboteurs |
Expect resistance
and prepare to deal with people who try to sabotage your program.
Design a strategy for dealing with saboteurs in a productive manner-without
adding fuel to their fire.
| Identify
What Is Being Lost and Who Is Losing What |
People need to
understand what they don't need to do (what's lost) and still need
to do (what's staying the same). Be honest. This is no time to beat
around the bush. Your goal is to help ensure that the team will keep
functioning smoothly.
| Let
People Know They Will Be Compensated For Their Losses Whenever
Possible |
If a person is
losing their job, let them know the company will help them find another
one. If a person will be taking on new responsibilities, let them
know training will be available. Give people the general sense that
an effort is being made to support them during this time of change.
| Moving
From the Old to the New |
This stage can
either be a time of confusion or innovation and excitement. Managing
people during this time requires discipline and creativity.
| Keep
The Effective Two-Way Communication Going |
Continue to keep
your team involved in the process by giving them some responsibility.
| Create
Support Systems For The Transition Period |
Examine your policies
and procedures to make sure they deal adequately with all the changes
occurring in the transition state. Roles, reporting relationships,
and titles may need to be altered.
| Set
Short-Term Achievable Goals |
This will give
people a feeling of accomplishment. It will also provide them with
direction-which is badly needed during times of uncertainty. Having
goals and rewards throughout the transition period makes people feel
they are making progress and achieving personal satisfaction.
| Create
High Levels Of Team Interaction |
Use weekly lunches,
company picnics, and special celebrations to create synergy. People
who are a part of a team are usually willing to make more sacrifices
and contributions.
| Create
A Team To Facilitate The Transition |
This group will
coordinate the upward and downward communication of information. This
is an effective way to ensure the information you want is disseminated.
It also increases participation.
| Make
More One-On-One Support Available |
An employee assistance
program can be a valuable addition in times of rapid change. Let employees
know that seeking help in managing the stress of change is not only
okay, but a smart thing to do.
| Give
Additional Responsibility To Those Who Buy-In Early |
Giving responsibility
to people usually makes them feel good. Recognize the "early adapters"
to send a positive message to others. These people can also help champion
your program and get others on board faster.
Once you have
support from your team, you can now assist them in accepting the new
way of doing business. The following highlights some strategies to
help your team through this final stage.
| Communicate
Your Corporate Vision |
Clearly explain
your corporate vision, the purpose behind it, and what needs to happen
to achieve it. Discuss what the future will look like. If possible,
provide examples of other companies who have gone through similar
transitions.
| Remind
Your People "What's In It For Them." |
Outline the benefits
and rewards they will see and how soon they will see them.
| Outline
Steps To Achieve The Vision |
After they understand
your vision, discuss in detail how to achieve it. People feel much
better when they can see the path that gets them from one point to
another. Ask for their input, and create roles for every team member.
| Hold
People Accountable To Keep Them On Schedule |
The typical managerial
mindset is that "good, competent people shouldn't need that kind of
hand-holding." But level two and three changes require shifts in behavior
and the way people work. You must constantly keep people on track
to succeed. While this doesn't mean intimidating employees or playing
tyrant, it does mean ensuring they stay focused.
| Celebrate
Each Accomplishment |
Recognize individuals
and the team both publicly and personally-especially in the beginning.
This will help build their confidence in themselves and the program.
If you have successfully helped people let go of the old, and understand
and accept the new, then most people should be on board by now. But,
you may still have some people that take longer to adjust. Why is
this? Quite simply, not all people are alike. However, people can
learn to adapt faster. The next section highlights some of the characteristics
which make people more adept to change.
Carol Kinsay Gorman,
Ph.D., author of "Adapting to Change," notes five factors that change-adept
people possess: confidence, challenge, coping, counterbalance, and
creativity. Some people naturally have these characteristics. Others
can develop them through conscious training and learn to see change
as exciting and new.
Confidence is
simply the belief people have in themselves and their capabilities.
When your employees lack confidence, you need to assist them in taking
a self-inventory of strengths, talents, and successes. Then they can
learn how to capitalize on their strengths and begin believing they
can cope with change.
Change-adept people
see the benefits of change as opportunity, adventure, and excitement.
You need to assist your employees in identifying strategies for analyzing
situations, choosing the best course of action, and moving forward
without worrying about what might have been.
The third characteristic
is to have positive coping mechanisms. Research has shown that employees
perform best when they work under the optimum amount of stress to
reach maximum performance. This is called eustress-a label for positive
stress enhanced by a feeling of confidence and a sense of control.
Employees capable of coping are flexible, have a sense of humor and
can keep in perspective what is controllable and what is not. As your
employees develop confidence they will also develop better coping
skills.
For some, change
in the workplace can feel all-consuming. Successful change-adept employees
use counterbalance to remain steady. They balance work and play and
they practice physical, emotional, and spiritual health. The key is
to recognize that there are cycles when one part of life must take
precedence over another. Let your employees know you understand they
have other priorities and that you don't expect work to always come
first.
The final characteristic
of being change-adept is creativity. Employees who challenge the status
quo by embracing diverse perspectives will thrive in the midst of
organizational change. They continually strive for improvement and
innovative ways of managing change.
In most workplaces
change is inevitable. As a manager, you are faced with the constant
challenge of supporting employees through transitions. By recognizing
and improving change-adept characteristics within your organization,
you may be able to shift change from unpleasant to enjoyable. You
may also be able to move your employees through changes faster and
more smoothly if you follow the three stage process outlined previously.
No matter how large or small the change, just make sure you are prepared
to manage not just what is being changed but who will need to change.
Only then can you achieve the desired results with a minimum amount
of trauma.
This article is brought to you compliments of Central Michigan Staffing
© 1998. All rights reserved.
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