It’s no secret that organizational change is a constant that leaders must navigate—and this is truer than ever in today’s environment. Over the past few weeks, SHAMBAUGH Leadership has engaged with clients to provide them with leadership support in navigating their teams through transition. During this process, I’ve seen that many leaders are hungry for less theory and more practical ways to lead their teams through the complexities of change.
Leaders have shared a common theme with me that they appreciate from these sessions: having the space—within a supportive peer community—to share challenges and ideas that they are each dealing with around change. Consequently, leaders realize they are not alone in facing these types of issues. This approach also allows leaders to take a pause to better understand the emotions and needs of their employees, no matter where they are on their reaction to change, from resistance through integration.
Here are a few takeaways from a recent session we conducted that may be helpful for leading your teams through change and transition:
Don’t Assume — Assess
In times of upheaval, employees will experience a mixture of emotions at different times. It’s easy to assume that everyone on a team is experiencing anger over a particular shift in direction, or that the whole group is on board with a major change initiated by the company. But leaders must assess each situation on a case-by-case basis to determine how individuals are interpreting changes. Expand your emotional aperture by effectively listening and honing in on others’ emotional energy. Don’t negate the impact of change from an organization on systems, but also pay attention to the psychological impact of a transition on your people.
Adapt Your Leadership and Communication Style
To resonate with others, leaders should prioritize providing clarity and purpose regarding the change. Be intentional in meeting your employees where they are at, recognizing that in many change and transition events, people move through distinct stages in a natural evolution of reactions and feelings. As human beings, many of us initially react to change with denial and discouragement before gradually accepting the change and integrating a “new normal” into our daily work life. Once you understand how team members feel, you can flex how you communicate and lead based on the assessments you’ve made about your team’s emotional responses to a specific transition.
Build Accountability
Top-down change initiatives that leaders enact with no two-way communication will cause many employees to feel a loss of control. The best leaders will thus build employee accountability into the change process. Empower team members to contribute ideas and be a champion of the change in some way. Build on their strengths and knowledge, and help them to feel a part of the change while being accountable.
Wear the Hat of the Culture
It’s not enough to simply announce a cultural transition, explaining what others are supposed to do in the new organizational environment and structures. Leaders must walk the talk by demonstrating their own commitment to doing things differently and role modeling the values and behaviors that support the change. By optimistically wearing the hat of the new company culture yourself, your leadership will encourage others to do the same.
Provide Feedback
Successful communication from leadership is a major part of any effective change initiative. One key step you can take is to demonstrate relentless communication around the company’s new vision and purpose, helping people feel comfortable with the change and inspiring them to action. But not everyone will get on board at the same time; some will need additional feedback and guidance that inspires and motivates them to embrace change. Provide the right coaching and development for employees to grow into new mindsets and skills that are part of the changing environment.
Change can be hard for everyone, including leaders. But taking an intentional leadership approach to organizational transitions can lead to improved outcomes for employees, leadership teams, and companies alike.
If you’d like to expand your strategic leadership skills and capabilities to manage change and transitions, get in touch with us at info@shambaughleadership.com.
Visit SHAMBAUGH’s offerings on Executive Coaching, Leadership Development, Sticky Floor Learning Series and Coaching, Practices For Boosting Learning and Community for Company ERGs, and Keynotes, and Fireside Chats.
Rebecca Shambaugh is President of SHAMBAUGH Leadership, Founder of Women in Leadership and Learning, and author of the best-selling books It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor and Make Room for Her: Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model to Achieve Extraordinary Results.