| COACHING CORNER
>
Leading through the change
Written by: Renée LeMoine
Photo by: Vojtìch Vlk
Our company has revised its strategic
plan and top management will start implementing it next month.
However the new strategy means reorganizing one department, and
is making its team really nervous.
Seldom is change an easy process for everyone involved. While
one team will gain resources, it inevitably means that another
team will make sacrifices. In this case, it may be helpful to think
in terms of how the change will improve the overall efficiency
of the company, rather than what one team will loose.
Your leadership task is to ease them through this painful process.
You have already taken an important step by being aware of how
change initiatives are affecting morale. Anticipating doubt and
selling your staff on the change process are the next critical
steps. Leading your staff through change can be made easier if
you are aware of the change management phases:
- Educate employees ahead of time that change will occur. They
will appreciate being informed before rather than after.
- Encourage them to participate by being a part of the solution,
rather than only reacting to those that top management created.
They can't complain about changes being made if they never offered
alternatives.
- Communicate how change will be implemented. Try storyboards
showing the final changes, and expected results for each group
concerned.
- Facilitate change by demonstrating the leader's personal involvement
and investment in the project. Communicating and coaching can
only go so far. The team needs to see the leader get his hands
dirty too.
- Stay informed. The leader must keep his ear to the ground to
determine what is and is not working. Informal, non-threatening
encounters with the team will provide valuable feedback.
- Analyze, evaluate, and redirect the progress of the change
process. It may be necessary to make a few minor unplanned changes
during the implementation process in order to achieve a more
effective outcome.
Change management phases as defined by Gleick, James. Chaos: Making
a New Science. New York: Harmony 1985. Article prepared by Renée LeMoine, Executive
Director, LeMoine & Associates
We welcome feedback and suggestions for
management topics which are of interest to you. Please submit your
questions or comments to: coachingcorner@prague-tribune.cz. |
