How do we successfully manage change?
Change can come as a company grows or shrinks.
Change is part of personal and professional growth.
Change is part of becoming a parent or losing a loved one.
Change can be moving house.
Yet many of these events are included on the list of most stressful events that can occur annually.
Change of any kind can be stressful because we have so many experiences of unsuccessful change. How often are we disappointed or ashamed when we don’t meet our exercise, weight loss or meditation goals?
How often is organizational change poorly managed, a waste of resources, and a distraction from more impactful priorities?
People can also experience change fatigue when there is too much change and uncertainty without time to breathe. The COVID-19 pandemic felt like this. And others have written about change exhaustion.
Change is not only potentially stressful, but also actually very hard to do successfully.
I often advise coaches to step back and remember this. When people are setting goals for themselves, they are also afraid of failing. There’s the temptation not to try at all. Or a new goal is just another burden, another item on our plate.
As individuals we need a lot of support in the change process. Support in setting reasonable, specific, and achievable small goals that are linked to behaviors that impact the desired outcome. Support in logistics, motivation, remembering and accountability. Support in tracking, feedback and celebrating success.
In organizations, the change process is often overlooked. Change is often top-down and lost in translation.
The change process can be greatly improved if you recognize the following conditions needed for change:
Change readiness
Change support
Change celebration
Change readiness
Does your organization have a learning culture?
Does the change fit with your workflows?
Have users provided input?
Has the change been trialed at small scale?
Has the need for change been communicated clearly at all levels?
Do you have change champions on board?
Change support
What resources are being invested?
What infrastructural changes are needed?
Who is responsible for managing the change process?
Have appropriate new skills been developed?
Are there on-going adaptations and training?
How is feedback being incorporated?
How are barriers to change addressed?
Change celebration
Are you acknowledging the effort required to change?
Are you showing change is possible, even in small increments?
Are you recognizing the impact of the change?
Are you celebrating your mistakes and learning from them?
Do you have a process to track the improvements overtime?
Are you prompting on-going change?
Are you maintaining change engagement?
The change process can be improved if we can embrace the discomfort of change with caring leadership. If we don’t skimp on the support required for successful change.
Change can be contagious if the right conditions are created.
