There is no doubt that change can cause ripples or a sense of choppy waters and waves when announced. And this week we are seeing this in real time with the events of this week and results of the election causing waves globally. So what do you do when the emotions run high and the emotional response to a change is overwhelming for those who are impacted?

1) Allow the dust to settle:  When there is a surge of emotion it is best not to engage in the noise. Observe it, sure, acknowledging that there may be unhappiness and celebration potentially as part of the change is the best approach. What NOT to do is ignore the emotions and pretend that everyone is on board. This is inauthentic and starts degrading any trust that may have been built leading up to the change. It is ok to acknowledge that not everyone may be happy, and to provide options for individuals to provide feedback.

2) Have a leadership presence, adequate support and check in's available: The most effective change...

Leaders require particular organisation structures and enablers to be in place to be able to effectively lead change.

Let's explore these enablers:

1) Clear and engaging communication channels: Communication channels and methods need to be clear and functional. Even in large organisations I have witnessed death by email and written word. A picture is worth a thousand words - after all who has time to read more than a paragraph unless its well formed and engaging?  From strategic messaging to operational messaging, all employee groups should be clear in knowing which channel to go to for certain information.  Information that the individual leader can reinforce and link into. Change leaders need communication channels and methods that achieve cut through. This allows leaders to leverage the messages and allows them to create their own notes on how the change impacts the individuals in their team.

2) Departmental role clarity: When joining an organisation, one of the...