While supervisors do not have the authority to reject or the power to
deflect organizational change, they do have the opportunity (and, we
believe, the specific responsibility) to clearly and truthfully communicate
the reasons for change.
Similar to a stool with three legs, three easy steps can greatly assist
managers in creating a sound platform for transition during periods of
change:
3 Ways Leaders Can Face Employee Resistance Head On to Make the
Transition Easier for Everyone Involved…
1. Managers need to be convinced that the change is indeed needed. For
example, the change is either opportunistic or required to ensure ongoing
business viability and success. By focusing on what is needed, the options
to create it (including an examination of risks or exposure) and the
intended results from it, you will determine what change needs to happen.
You will see why the changes need to happen right now. You will able to
develop a strategic plan on how the changes will occur.
And, you’ll be able to determine the value and impact that each change
will bring to your organization.
2. Next, managers need to understand the change experience through the
lens of their employees. Employees will be more open and willing to support
change when they are given information that clearly addresses their
fundamental questions. Honest, open, timely and truthful communication is
absolutely essential during a transition. This means your management team
must agree on an accurate, forthright and unified response to the following
five questions.
- What is the change? (Get specific)
- How was the decision made?
(Include who made the decision)
- Who does it impact, and what does it mean
to them?
- What is the value of the change to the organization and the
employees? (Focus on benefits and effects.)
- What are the next steps?
(Describe the roles and actions.)
3. Lastly, management needs to establish effective ways for sharing
(communicating) this information with employees through multiple channels.
For example, if there are individual employees who will be impacted more
than others (particularly if there are perceived negative implications),
general courtesy and good ethic implies you meet first with these employees.
Share the same information but specifically describe how it affects them and
their position. This should be done immediately before the departmental
meetings. Smaller, team-style meetings provide a more open and comfortable
environment for questions and discussion. All-staff meetings are also an
option depending on the size of the organization (such as those with less
than 50 employees) and assuming that your message is not laden with
"bad-news" to specific employees or groups whom have not yet heard the
message. It is also helpful to consistently communicate the message of
change as critical for the company, through written format, such as a
company memo or newsletter, assuming the message is clear, straight-forward,
and focused on the value of the change (benefits), or the sincere effort to
prevail (i.e., a legitimate downsize or layoff) in times of challenge.
Managing the transition and implementing change is critical for
organizations. Poor behavior, poor communications and poor execution will
have long-term negative consequences for the organization.
Remember, change provides opportunity. So, help your employees embrace a
new paradigm of change as an opportunity versus the widely held and limiting
perspective of change as an unsolicited and undesirable mandate.
How you manage the transition will be remembered by the employees. Good
behavior will clearly have positive long-term effects. Poor behavior will
lead to contention, lack of trust, lack of productivity and turnover. So
unless you goal is to close the business, poor change behavior is not a
long-term success strategy.
Actions Have Consequences - Make Yours Positive Especially in the Time of
Change
Keeping employees well-informed and engaging them will foster a climate
of resiliency and it will build momentum that will advance your
organization. This level of employee engagement is reinforced by what Geoff
Colvin recently presented in the Fortune Magazine article, How are Most
Admired Companies Different. Colvin mentions that champion companies "ensure
they understand what employee engagement means, measure it and hold managers
(not just HR staffers) accountable for it, and connect it to business
objectives…" We strongly believe that change, whether for growth,
improvement or survival/reinvention is key to business productivity,
efficiency and intimately, profitability.
Sara LaForest and Tony Kubica are management consultants
and business performance improvement specialists with more than 50+ years of
combined experience in helping organizations just like yours manage the
transition. Failure to communicate head on is just one way to sabotage your
business - get our complete "Self-Sabotage in Business White Paper" at:
http://www.kubicalaforestconsulting.com/resources.php and uncover
the common, subtle ways we harm our performance.
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Eric Gruber
