Change can be difficult.

Sometimes, fear of the unknown can cause anxiety, and people resist change because they believe they will not be able to adapt to new ways. In the workplace, employees may resist change for various reasons. As much as change can be difficult, it is often a necessary process for companies to grow and evolve. Before an organization can implement change, however, it is imperative that business leaders have a clear vision of what is required to streamline the process effectively and without too much disruption.

To help your team navigate through the process of change, and even better, encourage them to support the change, here are 3 effective strategies to implement and thrive as a leader.

Create a plan

Business leaders know they have to reinvent their business model every few years or face the consequences of falling behind to their competitors. Start off by determining just how necessary your changes are and compare those changes with the financial, ethical, and strategic goals of your business. Now that you know you have the right strategy in place, you’ll need to communicate the plan to your team. Then, hold a meeting to find out what information and tools they’ll need to implement those changes.

As Toronto-based entrepreneur and business leader George Scorsis knows, by giving your team the information they need immediately, you’ll significantly reduce confusion and frustration.
“Don’t forget to ask for feedback from your team. What appears effective from a managerial perspective might not be as clear-cut from others,” George Scorsis explains.

Stay Committed

Commitment comes from understanding your goals and working to reach them. Salvadore Maddi, a psychology professor at the University of California, Irvine, says, “no matter how bad things get, if you’re committed, you stay involved and give your best effort rather than pull back.”
In cases like these, leaders are bound to meet resistance. Make it clear that you are available to answer questions and concerns. An open-door policy before, during, and after a major organizational change can keep leaders apprised of their team’s feelings, both negative and positive.

Follow Up

Even after the organizational changes have been made, it is important for leaders to follow-up and assess how the change is working. Sometimes changes are rolled out without many disruptions but other times leaders come to find the changes just didn’t work as planned. If this is the case, management should work to make adjustments until the desired result is achieved.
Don’t forget to celebrate successes along the way. Big or small, building momentum for bigger changes is what makes employees want to participate in the process.

Published: 2020-05-18 16:41:27