Change is constant. And with so much already on our plates these days, it’s hard to get our heads around yet more stuff loaded on, never mind helping others work their way through it.
Yet, as a leader, an important part of the job is empowering your team to be resilient, productive and engaged, especially during any organizational change.
To ensure your team remains happy and high performing, you need to help coach people through the change. It’s essential to be proactive and responsive to any feelings of fear or uncertainty by doing your best to consistently communicate honest and thoughtful answers to the following questions:
- What is our vision and what values we will draw upon to get there?
- What are your expectations?
- What exactly is the change? What is different?
- Why are we changing?
- Why now?
- What are the risks of not changing?
- How will it affect me as a team member (or why should I care)?
- What are the benefits of change?
- What will the impact be on the organization?
- What are some early successes that we can already celebrate?
By keeping the lines of communication open in both directions, you promote a feeling of safety and allow for greater trust, inspiring your team to be all they can be, every day.