Any major transformation within a company will awaken “change.” This change creates emotions and fears among the members of the organization.
Change is stressful. But stress is a stimulus that can be positive or negative. Studies have shown that stress in the workplace most commonly occurs in one of three situations:
- When there is a high demand placed on employees
- When employees are being closely watched
- When employees are concerned about their competence
As a leaders it is our job to quell those fears. When we operate in the management role we must balance our passion, execution and sensitivity. It is good to be passionate about where we are taking our organization. But even more important is translating this belief into action. Taking part in the execution process makes a big statement to your team. The best generals have led their troops into battle at the FRONT of the lines. You won’t win cooperation by calling the plays from the sidelines. This will create resentment and reduce morale. Finally be sensitive to the emotional and behavioral issues involved in change. Get in touch with how the change is affecting each of the critical members of your organization.In order to truly put these precepts into practice, we need to understand the way change works. As Jeanie Daniel Duck says in her book, “The Change Monster,” organizational change consists of five basic stages:
- Stagnation
- Preparation
- Implementation
- Determination
- Fruition
Stage 1: Stagnation
This first phase can be summed up in two words: demoralization and denial. A demoralized company exhibits the same symptoms as a depressed person: general slowness, difficulty in making decisions, and a lack of motivation. Stagnation can be caused by poor strategy, lack of leadership, too few resources, conflicting goals or poor execution. Before you can implement a sound strategy, however, you have to modify the culture of the company – it’s beliefs, attitudes and habits. In most cases these are the elements hindering growth. To burst free of stagnation, you need to ask yourself: “What outdated beliefs and behaviors are preventing us from conceiving or executing a winning strategy?”Stage 2: Preparation
During this stage, many operational issues are addressed. This often results in a new structure for the organization, new employee roles. New responsibilities are designed, and management determines which products or services will be most critical in the future. The goal in this stage is to align and energize our management team around a corporate strategy and vision. As leaders we must all consistently articulate the SAME vision. In other words, we all need to be on the same page as to where we’re going and how we plan on getting there. Only then will it be clearly understood and executed by others. We also need to be careful of becoming too dictatorial with our precepts. The goal is to develop a group thinking about change. This can’t happen if the leader isn’t open to hearing criticism of his or her ideas.Stage 3: Implementation
Implementation is different in every organization. Leaders are responsible during the implementation phase for managing expectations, energy and experience. Asking people to change can create resentment, embarrassment and tension. Here are some ideas to reduce the barriers to change among team members:
- Test before deployment – If a new process is being implemented, try it in one department or with one product or service group before rolling it out.
- Build behavior first – Focus on a SINGLE OBJECTIVE and ask the employees for input. This allows us to empower our team by letting them SHOW YOU how they can come up with the solution.
- Plan replication – Duplicate your successes. Transferring change from person to person takes time. Let change spread rather than forcing it on your team.
Stage 4: Determination
Because change does take time, many of the former champions of change may have developed second thoughts. At this time it is not unusual to see conflicts arise as a result of change. Often service levels drop, sales falter, production problems deepen, and profitability wavers. It is critical that leaders have the determination to see change through. We can be tempted to throw up our hands and say, “That’s it! We’re going back to the way it was. Nobody is doing what we told them to do!” Don’t mistake your own perceptions for reality. People are finding a new way to accomplish their goals. One that is more dependent on their efforts rather than their leaders support. Conflict is not necessarily bad. Conflict produces change, a reorganization of priorities and self sufficiency.Stage 5: Fruition
No change is easy. But achieving long-sought-after goals is rewarding. Once a targeted goal is reached, success often begets success. This is the time to reward people for their success. Reward in public and punish in private. The great Dale Carnegie said, “Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.” Also, put your money where your mouth is. Give performance bonuses based on achieving specific goals