Do you drive the same route to work? Do you have family traditions you try and recreate each year during holidays? Or maybe you are one of those in the 15% category who drives a different route each day, arrives at different times, and jumps on a plane with little notice for a vacation. John Kotter wrote “More than 70% of all change initiatives fail due to lack of change leadership.” So, why do we as leaders keep trying the same approach expecting a different outcome?
It’s simple - we are afraid to have our teams be a part of the change. I know some of you are saying yes but I can’t tell them because jobs are impacted. In today’s economy this is a common conversation between executives and HR leaders. Many of my colleagues would advise you to keep only those with a need to know in the loop. There are certainly situations where this is the best advice. And because this is the familiar path, and thus easier, we often do it the same way.
Leaders typically focus on all of the things needed to do to prepare for the change event, the moment when we tell people. A well known change expert, William Bridges points out all major change initiatives have an End to something, a Neutral period where we are figuring it out, and a New Beginning in which we have fully accepted the change and moved on.
I have spent many hours helping executives from around the globe prepare for these change events. What I can tell you from experience is that leaders who lead change well do three things:
1. They understand everyone experiences change in a predictable pattern. The more they are mentally prepared and involved in the decision, the quicker they move through the neutral zone. The neutral zone can be a time for negative emotion so it is imperative that leaders learn to help them through this phase. If someone isn’t involved in the decision process they are likely to move through the transition stage more slowly.
2. Leaders help themselves and their teams move more quickly through the stages. There have been numerous studies done related to grieving, with typically 6 distinct stages. In the workplace I have had the fortunate and unfortunate opportunity to see this in practice and I call it the S.A.R.A. model.
S – Shock This is when the individual first finds out about the change, e.g. new system, new boss, loss of job, etc. It is like what someone may look like after experiencing or seeing a car crash. Do: Give people space, time to think about the change. Don’t: Oversell them on the benefits of the change.
A – Anger/Anxiety This is when the individual has had some time to think about what this means to them. Typically this takes on the form of being upset or worried about the impact of what the change means to them personally. During this stage it is common for people not be able to sleep, have trouble focusing, and often not be fully engaged at work or in their personal relationships. Of course there are some people in this world who can lose their job one day and bounce back with enthusiasm about the next adventure, but this is a very small minority. Do: Ask them how they are doing with the change. Listen to their frustrations. Encourage them to do something that they enjoy. Don’t: Oversell them on the benefits. Don’t expect them to be ok with it yet.
R – Rejection This is when the individual is likely to be most destructive to themselves and others. Being sick, not wanting to use the system, complaining to others, not moving forward. This is a period in which people can get stuck and have a more difficult time moving to acceptance. This is also the place where leaders make the most mistakes. If this has been going on for a while, some leaders take the approach that the person just needs to get on board. While it is true you need to get them on board, the act of pushing on them while they are in rejection is what causes more rejection. Do: Listen and ask probing questions like “Which part of the change are you most frustrated about?” Validate that you understand why they are upset. Ask them “What can I do to help you thru the change?” Be sure to take the time to listen to their concerns and don’t discount them. Don’t: Debate with them and don’t try to prove to them it will be better. If they are stuck, point out to them that at some point they need to work themselves through this change, otherwise it is likely to have some negative impact. Don’t confuse this with an ultimatum; it’s not intended to be an ultimatum. It’s calm, collected, factual reasoning that the decision has been made regardless of their concerns about it, and, at some point, they need to help themselves thru the change.
A – Acceptance Somewhere between Rejection and Acceptance is a line in the sand in which the person says “I guess this is ok, maybe this will work out, etc.” It’s at this moment and shortly there after, when the person is on their way up from the valley of despair and it’s during this period where the most creative ideas are produced. This can lead to ideas such as (“Hey have we ever thought about what that means for the way this downstream system, process, people, etc.)” “Maybe we have an opportunity to change X as well.” Do: Try to capture and foster the creative ideas. Even if you don’t ultimately do anything with them, this is about being a part of the change. Don’t: Assume that everyone is at acceptance because one person is showing positive signs.
3. Leaders understand that not only is their team experiencing all these emotions in different periods of time. Some individuals have moved through the stages in a few minutes, others in days, and some individuals in weeks or even months. They also understand they experience these emotions themselves and may be at one of these stages themselves while having to put the company hat on, toe the line, and toot the company horn. Probably one of the biggest mistakes leaders make is they think saying the company line and selling the benefits of the change, is the right thing to do. This is tricky, my boss is expecting me to speak positively about the change and yet I am still not sure it’s the right decision. Teams see right through this immediately. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite of what your team needs. What they need to hear is you are human, it bothers you, and you will be there leading the team through the uncertainty. So how do you keep both your boss and your team happy? It sounds something like this: “While I am still trying to figure out what this all means, and I am not sure what the impact will be yet, I am also confident we will work through this transition together. You can always come to me to discuss your concerns.”
Leaders are typically on the front end of the change and if you were a part of the decision process you will have moved even more quickly through the transition period. Each transition poses an opportunity to help yourself with the what’s new and help each individual through the transition period. Try letting them in on where you think you are headed, trust them with the sensitive information, and you might be surprised at the positive impact this can make in your organization.
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