Change. Difficult and necessary for growth!
Change.
The very word sparks emotion (and no I am not attempting to invoke any references to last year’s Presidential election).
When an organization is faced with growth, change is often required to break through the current level of performance.
The challenge is not deciding that changes are required and necessary. The challenge, often times, is convincing the staff (or customers) that these changes are good for all involved.
Sure, there are instances when the changes needed for growth are not truly going to be good for everybody (such as an automated process replaces a person’s job; great for company, not so much for employee). These situations, however are more rare.
The most common situation is that changes are required and the only barrier to growth becomes the staff’s resistance to the changes. Short of handing out copies of the popular book “Who Moved My Cheese?” which is a great thing to do by the way, here are a few tips to keep in mind during this exciting (and challenging) time in a company’s growth:
- Be real. Let the staff know the good, the bad, and the ugly. There is a difference between being excited and optimistic versus exagerating and fake.
- Be early. Plant seeds that change is neccessary and coming soon. Be careful not to scare people. Early on, be brief, and non specific with an air of excitement. Even if the staff doesn’t know what changes are coming, the fact that they are expecting some things to change helps a tremendous amount.
- Be open. Lay the facts out, and ask for input. Just like the popular “Matrix” movies, the problem is choice. If the staff feels like they chose (even a little bit) of the changes coming, it will be easier for them to accept. Avoid a last minute decree demanding compliance.
- Be confident. Once the decision is made, move forward. Don’t waver mid stream. Planned changes may be 90% decided prior to asking staff for input, but once the plan is 100%, be confident that that is the way the company must move forward and do so.
Even with these steps, certain staff may not be ready or able to change. During these times, staff may leave. Understand that in companies and in life, everything happens for a very good reason. Focus upon the growth planned for the company and that the changes are required for that growth.
Good luck and Happy Hunting!