Change is HARD Pt. 2 - Leading During Continuous Change
“The only constant in life is change.” -Heraclitus
Change is not only hard but is indeed constant. It is a necessary component of adaption for survival. It’s not just as a species, but in business, and once again a leader’s business is people, thus change must happen. In a previous post I covered the three pillars of behavior change. Today I wish to address one of the common issues all leaders have - leading during continuous change.
There are 5 things to do when it comes to establish and lead others through change:
Inspire Through Purpose – Leaders need to motivate their people and others through alignment with a greater mission. This requires connecting individual roles to the bigger vision, making everyone aware how their work matters and is impactful to that mission. It starts with a compelling narrative about why change is necessary and happening, and how it benefits not only the organization but the individual players within the organization. Leading by example includes leading by example with demonstrable passion and commitment to the Why.
Full Commitment – Once again lack of commitment is for dysfunctional teams. Transformation is not a scratch the surface-level change or changes, but a FULL COMMITMENT by all. This means investment which is long-term and not quick fixes. Quick fixes usually only address symptoms not the bigger issue(s).
Enabling to Succeed – Support your people with developing and building skills needed for the future. This requires identifying and closing the gaps of your team members through training and coaching. Encourage growth, adaptability and problem-solving. Which may require providing tools to make the transformation easier, such as a new computer program, or even a new computer and lets not forget the training on how to effectively use any tools or roles given.
Promote A Culture of Life Continuous Learning – if there is one thing that must be embedded in an organization’s DNA, it is a growth mindset. Reward and recognize constant curiosity and experimentation and failing forward (learning from failures). This does in fact require mentoring individuals (which may even be teaming a stronger peer with struggling team member).
Inclusion – the best leaders empower their people through collaboration. This requires active listening from the voices of the team with diverse backgrounds and experience. This requires two things to consider -establishing a culture of psychological safety so people feel safe to speak up and ensuring everyone says something. If you know your team, some may not like speaking in front of others and until you can coach and develop their confidence, ensure you get with them one-on-one and get their feedback on the topic.
“Change is inevitable, change for the better is a full-time job.” -Adlai Stevenson (INDEED IT IS THAT and what an AWESOME RESPONSIBITY for Leaders!)
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” – Winston Churchill
Till next week Champion Change Often and LEAD ON!
