LETTER ABOUT LEADING CHANGE
Dear Cindy,
I am a newly appointed team leader in our company. I am surrounded by talented and tenured employees. Though I see what they offer to the company as immeasurable given that it came from experience, I want the company to embrace new processes and procedures. This is where my problem comes from, the employees know that embracing change is essential for the survival of the company but they remain closed off to such changes. How do I ease them into being open to adapting new policies and procedures especially since I am a newly appointed leader in the company?
Sincerely,
Newly Appointed Leader
RESPONSE FROM CINDY:
Dear Newly Appointed Leader,
That’s a great question and quite honestly I hear very experienced leaders get challenged by leading change.
What’s important to keep in mind is to communicate, communicate, communicate!!! It’s great that your employees already know that embracing change is essential. That’s a real positive. Now you have to help them take action.
The one thing I see leaders get too bogged down in during the change process is details. They seem to be great at describing what they want done, but really don’t take into account the “people” piece of change. It’s really important to talk with how employees feel about the change. Good leaders know that change is about understanding loss….what will the employees feel they will be losing…their competence in the old ways? People they will be working with? The familiarity of things? Also, what might they fear… inability to learn something new the right way and in a timely manner? Making mistakes? Becoming obsolete in the process? All great things to explore with employees prior to the
change. Empathy, reassurance, commitment to work with folks during a new learning curve.. all these things are essential.
Let’s not forget the communication piece. Keep folks informed (even if you have
nothing new to share), explaining the “why” and benefits of the change.
Always remember, people don’t change from being told; they change from being lead. Incorporate these strategies in your plan and discussions on change. You’ll find that it works!
All the Best,
Cindy