Steps to Leading Change
Change is like a tornado
What does this mean for you as a leader?
During a recent large-scale organization change effort, every individual and every team across the board was impacted with a shift in reporting structures and changing work processes. Not only were the changes felt internally to the organization, but the impact rippled across stakeholders and the business at large.
When going through change efforts such as these, it’s important to view it from various angles: the broader organization, operational teams, and individuals. Given our last article focused on the human reaction to change, we shift now to a focus on leading change from the perspective of a team leader.
Steps to leading change
As a leader, it’s your role to engage and motivate your team members as they move along the change curve toward the new normal. This is not an easy task considering change can sometimes feel like a tornado, with internal and external forces that are out of your control, effecting both your business and your people.
Leaders who effectively lead change have found that they need to manage and lead simultaneously, taking time to understand the drivers of organizational performance through the lens of our PRIDE Model:
Purpose: mission, vision, shared goals, and strategy
Roles: roles and responsibilities across the team and organization
Infrastructure: processes, systems, and technology that support work
Dynamics: team norms, behaviors, and organizational culture that supports team goals
Execution: disciplines that support activations and mobilizations at all levels
Addressing each element of the PRIDE Model is the first step in creating alignment and forward progress with your team. By using the PRIDE Model to bring structure and intent to organizational change, you are then able to focus on the human aspect of the transition, consciously moving your team along the change curve.
The following actions help bring change to life in a proactive way:
Make a commitment – explain how you will support the change
Be vocal about how you personally plan to support the change and the actions you will take to keep your team moving in the right direction. This includes what you will do for individuals and the collective and how you plan to hold yourself accountable. It’s OK to recognize challenges and show vulnerability, acknowledging that you will move through periods of uncertainty together.
Share the WHAT and the WHY – because people want to know
Human motivation is grounded in purpose. People want to know why they are being asked to do something, especially when it impacts them personally or messes with their status, identity, relationships, certainty, or sense of comfort or safety. They need to know what the future state looks and feels like and how they fit in. Draw them a picture, tell them a story, show them how they can and will contribute to the new world.
Communicate often – silence is the enemy of change
Communication is critical to driving change. Announcing intentions of change in a clear and concise manner helps employees understand what is happening along the way and gives them a reason to get on board. In addition to clarity, consistency is equally as important. Employees begin to feel resistant if they aren’t hearing updates, engaging in dialogue, or seeing change in action. Remaining silent can send the message that change isn’t important or isn’t really happening, or even worse, that more changes and greater disruptions are on the way.
Create a culture of change – model change and involve others
Recognize that change is a journey, and you too, are on the ride. You are both, leading the change and experiencing the change yourself. When you truly model change, you reveal more of yourself so people can see the human side of change. They get a glimpse into the messiness, they feel OK in their own uneasiness, and they are able to walk along side of what’s changing rather than fight it. When you build alliances within your team and across the organization, you build a culture where change can be an exciting part of creating the future together.
In the example of large-scale organizational change referenced at the beginning of this article, we provided each team leader with an action plan and schedule for one-on-ones and team meetings to roll out the change in a unified fashion. This included talking points that addressed the purpose of the change, a picture of what the new working model would look like, actionable steps to get there, and clearly defined roles for each team member.
With a unified approach to communications, each team successfully launched the change effort. But change efforts don’t stop there. Regular communications through multi-channels must continue, new team goals must be established, roles must continue to be refined, processes must be streamlined, and new team engagements and norms must be formed. This all takes time and a concerted effort from every team leader. If done right, it might feel as though you’re taking on another job. But alas, the effort upfront will far outweigh the future pain if you gloss over these essential steps of leading change.
Change was once seen as something that happened at a point of time when you moved away from an ‘old normal’ and arrived at a ‘new normal’ and stayed there until the next change came along. What if we instead see change as our ‘new normal’? Organizations that build a culture of change can continuously progress versus stagnating in time. Afterall, change is the only constant. It is the one thing we can always count on. The more comfortable you become with change, the more effective a leader you will be and the more successful you, your team, and your organization will be.
Integrated Growth can help. We offer organizational effectiveness and leadership consulting across the healthcare, wellness, and outdoor industries. Book your discovery call to see how we can help you.
Our world has changed, it’s time to transform yourself, your team, and your organization.
AUTHOR – Gretchen Reid is the Founder and Chief Change and Leadership Architect for Integrated Growth. She has spent over 25 years coaching leaders and creating award-winning Leadership and Talent Development Programs, directly contributing to multiple awards for her clients, including Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, Forbes America’s Best Employers List, Forbes Best Employer for Diversity, and ASTD BEST. She is an Adjunct Professor of Change Management in the Strategic HR Masters Program, Denver University, University College. (MS, Career and Human Resource Development, Rochester Institute of Technology, BA, Psychology & Business Management, University of Rochester)
