Is Change a dirty word in your organisation?

Change can become a dirty word in your organisation if it isn't handled well.  Just like 'he who shall not be named' people hesitate to talk about the changes taking place from fear of resistance. Even worse is when continual change is forced through without consultation and staff disengage as a result.

Let's face it, most humans (even change managers who are humans too) initially don't like changes taking place that are out of their control. We all react differently to change depending on what it is, and whether it means we lose something or we gain something.

However if change is continually poorly managed or not managed well at all, the process of engaging employees and creating a positive environment that promotes growth and inclusivity won't exist.  Which will create a world of perpetual discomfort which will either have employees underperform or leave.  So when 'change' becomes a dirty word in your organisation, how do you redirect the story and so it has a happy ending instead?

Talk values and strategy, not change

If you have an organisation value which is 'Excellence', 'Adaptability', 'Learning', or 'Growth' change can easily be aligned to these. The preference is that any change is then related to that value rather than singled out as the 'Change project' or program.

Here is an example:

You have a new IT system being introduced, which will generate efficiency for the organisation. Your organisation has a value of 'Quality'. Link the change to your organisational value 'Quality' - producing the best quality product for clients every time and in the most efficient way. Not only does it make the 'why' clear, it also aligns the change well.  

If at the same time the introduction of IT is going to mean a change of structure and less staff requirement, be sure to mention the value of Respect and live to that value throughout that process.

Here are some values in organisations that assist with embedding change as a regular practice:

Continual improvement - a constantly changing organisation should be one which is continually learning. Any new project or initiative is about striving and improving. Focus on the value of continual improvement which can also link to a vision of being the best in the market.

Growth - to grow you need to learn and continually change and respond to market needs. So while this is your value, the look and feel of this value really is to adapt and change. All of these values line up nicely with a regularly changing environment.

Other ways in which to integrate change strategy into every day activities within an organisation is to have a strong 'People' focus.

Constantly have a people focus

Introduce 'resilience' programs in your organisation with a change plan to embed practices that promote mindfulness and stress management techniques. These are extremely relevant as stress related illness has crept into our society and workplaces at an alarming rate.

Create and refer to a robust people dashboard which has people indicators such as annual leave balances (If staff aren't taking leave on a regular basis they will be burning out), sick leave, grievances, vacancy rates, and staff satisfaction ratings. This dashboard should be analysed in depth every quarter and at peak times of change then it should be every month. The Executive should have agreed goals for their teams regarding these indicators, and assist each other in achieving them.

Being able to prioritise

Change dashboards aren't just about people measures they are also about creating visible change views of programs of work, so that staff and client impacts are understood.  There are many Executive teams who don't proactively prioritise. They wait until a crisis - (for example not enough budget to do everything) and then make a decision. 

Prioritisation should be a quarterly exercise. Without the Executive making priorities clear, and aligning work priorities on that basis, there will be continual tension, misunderstandings and unnecessary stress on staff. This will result in morale being impacted and stress leave or conflict issues increasing.  Not only that but ultimately customer service suffers.

Develop the soft skills of your Managers

Another key to easing change angst is to increase the emotional intelligence of your management team so they understand how to lead their people through change. A natural leader will not have a problem with working with their team through change.

Unfortunately one of the main issues of those who manage rather than lead is that they don't respond well to change. The staff then experience the flow on of stress and model the Managers behaviour of resistance. Even worse is when a Manager decides to undermine the change with their team. Unfortunately I have had this take place and had to escalate my concerns to the CE for a discussion to take place. It is one of the biggest differentiators of a Leader vs a Manager - the ability to put the team needs before their own. 

A leader with emotional intelligence will be able to create a safe place for staff to move through the emotional spectrum which hits when a big change is being introduced. Being able to set boundaries regarding their behaviour and have compassionate conversations if they see a staff member struggling is critical. This also means that productivity and professionalism are maintained. 

What are the ways you have addressed the continual changes in your organisation?