staying right up during the transition

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Let’s face it: change can be messy, chaotic and uncertain. It can also be refreshing and full of possibilities. Change can lead to growth if we choose to lean into it rather than resist it. If we can learn to be fluid, open, and curious about the change we face, we can move through the discomfort and into its potential benefits.

Big organizational change usually falls into three categories: changing strategy or priorities, changing people/positions, and redesigning how work is done. Any of these can be overwhelming, but often organizations experience change in each of these categories simultaneously. Whatever the change, implementing a few best practices can make it less difficult and more impactful.

Changing strategy or priorities

If external or internal forces require an organization to move in a new direction or re-prioritize resources, learning how to say what and why is essential. When you can clearly paint a picture of why these changes are in motion, you shorten the adoption of the change and mitigate the disappointment if a beloved project is abandoned.

When you can explain changes in the context of your team members’ roles and motivators, you make them relevant and compelling, giving them a reason to try new ideas or initiatives. Without a strong story to capture what’s in it for them, it can sound like noise and feel like a burden. To lead your team through this chapter, you’ll need to understand what they really care about and help them see how they can contribute to the new direction or focus.

Poor strategy implementation is often the result of a failure to recognize natural resistance to change and a missed opportunity to generate engaged buy-in. When you empathize with the struggle and create space for people to shape the outcomes, you’ll generally find that you can get better traction.

Share your vision. Give people something they can enthusiastically say “Yes!”

Change of persons/positions

You may have heard the saying “The right person in the right role”. The wisdom behind this is about leveraging your strengths, passions, experience and ambitions. To set someone up for success in a new role, co-create goals for the first 90 days, six months, and year. When those goals are aligned with the organization’s purpose and are in service to make a meaningful contribution, you have a winning formula.

New roles, changes in responsibilities, new relationships with colleagues, and new authority all mark the experience of a leader’s journey. As one new leader recently confessed: “He’s surprisingly lonely in this role.” Stepping into a new position can be daunting. One of the most common complaints I hear during times of change is a lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities. This can be confusing for senior leaders who feel they have established their role and want the new leader to develop and own it.

Accepting lack of clarity as a natural condition of leadership can foster a healthy bias for action. Instead of waiting for clarity to strike, great leaders take what they believe is the next best possible action. Give yourself – and your team – the permission to evolve.

Operational redesign

At some point, the way you’ve always done things won’t serve the way you need to do things now. By fine-tuning your operations with the right workflows and processes, you create the necessary framework for people to understand how work gets done. A process with clear handoffs helps illustrate what people need to do in their respective roles to do great work—and shows the interdependence of cross-functional teams. Effective processes are not lumped together, but neither are they over-engineered.

Communicate, communicate, communicate

There’s a reason my mantra is “Have the conversation.” Transition breeds confusion. People feel uprooted. Trust can be at risk. Commitment to communication brings people together. Keep people informed and up to date, engage in brainstorming sessions and check understanding.

Leaders who have been aware of change for much longer often forget to recalibrate to where their people are. Slowing down change with some intentionality can help people feel valued and respected. After all, implementation is in the hands of the people!

Leading change is not just about presenting a new direction, opportunity or operational restructuring. It’s about listening to what isn’t working and finding ways to remove obstacles. It’s about articulating clear expectations and providing supportive guidance. People need feedback – and this is especially true in the face of uncertainty and in the space of forming new habits. By providing specific, positive, constructive feedback in real time, you reinforce expectations while helping them manifest the desired change, one attitude and behavior at a time.

When becoming a change agent, consider:

• What problem(s) are you trying to solve with the proposed change?
• What are the priorities? Too much or lack of clarity will torpedo your efforts.
• What are the impacts you are looking for? When you see any evidence of progress, acknowledge and celebrate.
• How aligned is your leadership team? By beating the same drum and speaking clearly, leaders can help advance the cause.
• How will you be a resource to your team? Hold space for real conversations.

When we move with change, we may find creative thinking that ignites a new perspective. If we go with the status quo and insist that things are “fine”, we will stagnate. Leaders who remain grounded in a compelling and shared purpose and demonstrate a commitment to creating meaningful value will be better positioned to navigate the sea of ​​change. Go ahead and experiment. Say yes to what’s next for your organization. You don’t need permission to start making a difference.