We’ve all heard that “Change is the only constant”, and in the 21st century this statement is truer than ever.
Peter Drucker said that the world undergoes radical change every 250 years, so the last time this happened would have been the Renaissance era. The 21st century is certainly one of those gigantic turbulent change eras with rapid technological advancement, and social, political, and health shifts. Things are happening at a rate that we feel that we cannot keep pace with, and that somehow we’re lagging behind the latest development. What was unimaginable five years ago has become our reality.
Change isn’t easy for humans because it causes chaos, uncertainty, and insecurity. We don’t have enough time to cognitively process and distil the radical changes, and this makes us feel powerless and helpless. It gives us a sense that our external environment controls us, and that causes distress, anxiety, depression, and overwhelm.
Just as the world around you is changing, so too is your working environment. We now have virtual teams, hybrid offices, flexi-time, digital meetings, global customers, online shopping, and so much more. Leaders are sandwiched between rolling out these changes, and ensuring that their team is motivated and on board to embrace the change. It can be a daunting task. These three best-practice ideas will show you how to roll out change in an effective manner.
Communication
Share why the change is necessary, and highlight the benefits for everyone. People need to know what’s in it for them. Communication with your team has to radically increase in the virtual world so that have to you share information up to eight times. You’ll have early adopters to change, and people who resist it. Have one-on-ones with those who resist it, and understand what the fear, concern, and resistance is about. You need compassion, empathy, and good listening skills.
Personal choice
Allow people to have control over how they choose to adjust and implement the change. Your way may not be their way. Be clear on what the desired outcome is, and give them the freedom to experience what works best for them.
Remove ambiguity
Try to remove any ambiguity in the change process. If things aren’t clear, or a little bit vague, people will resist it and will procrastinate. Be precise in your language, and articulate exactly what the change is about. If you aren’t sure, find out and get back to them. Clarity is the golden nugget.
Remember that people are generally adaptive to change, but they resist being forced into it. Communicate as much and as often as you can to answer questions and concerns, and listen to suggestions. Change is a two-way street and not a top-down approach.
About the Author: Kerstin Jatho
Kerstin is the senior transformational coach and team development facilitator for 4Seeds Consulting. She is also the author of Growing Butterfly Wings, a book on applying positive psychology principles during a lengthy recovery. Her passion is to develop people-centred organisations where people thrive and achieve their potential in the workplace. You can find Kerstin on LinkedIn, Soundcloud, YouTube and Facebook.
