Leading Through Times of Organizational Change

by Barbara Sierota, Curtis Strategy

Change. The word alone can trigger an emotional response. Some people thrive on change, others resist it, and others fall somewhere in between. When dealing with organizational change leaders not only need to consider individual responses to change, but there are also organizational challenges to contend with. Structure, roles, workloads, business models, and culture may be impacted. The implications span across an organization making execution and implementation challenging. It is no wonder that the vast majority of change efforts fail.

However, there are many approaches leaders can take to achieve successful outcomes.

At the center of each phase of any change effort are the people affected by the change. People either come along for the ride or are reluctant to change, depending on how the effort is led and perceived. Many change efforts fail due to mismanagement of people issues. To maximize success, it is essential that all stakeholders are involved from the onset so that the initiative takes on meaning to them. When you have buy-in from different staffing levels and various departments within the organization, conflicts can be resolved quicker, reducing any implementation roadblocks that arise.

One potential roadblock can occur as a result of initiative overload, especially in organizations with limited resources. Stretching people too thin has a negative effect on how the change will be perceived and executed. All current initiatives should be evaluated and triaged alongside the proposed initiatives to identify what the organization will begin, continue, and stop doing.

Prioritizing initiatives that align strategy with the organization''''s value proposition while supporting opportunities for growth and advancement will yield the greatest success.

Throughout the change process it is the organization''''s leaders – the sponsors of change – who play the most critical role in determining the success of the effort. It''''s easy to lead when all goes according to plan. But every change initiative has challenges. While these challenges can be temporarily uncomfortable, organizational leaders should not let that deter them. Leaders should strive to be adaptable, encouraging, and present throughout the change process while building cohesion throughout the organization through effective communication.

Communication is essential to a successful implementation. In order for communication to be effective, change leaders need to commit to the initiative on a personal level. Leaders must show confidence that the organization can make the proposed changes a reality. If leaders don''''t believe in the initiative and the need for change then no one else in the organization will either.

Messaging should be clear, focused on the desired future state, and unite staff at all levels around the vision. Leaders must paint a clear picture and specify the outcomes so everyone knows what they are working toward. This helps reduce uncertainty and resistance among staff, accelerating the pace of change. It''''s also important to let staff know what is at stake if the change doesn''''t happen to help them see the bigger picture. Walking the staff through what the change will mean to the team, what they stand to gain, and any known sacrifices they may need to make along the way is helpful.

In addition to what is communicated, how and when a message is conveyed is equally important. Early and ongoing communication is essential to gain employee buy-in and the approach to communicating change should be consistent across all departments. The way changes are communicated has an effect on employee morale. Communication needs to appeal to both the emotional and rational minds of staff. It is the leader''''s job to frame the change as positive and essential. Clear, consistent, and honest communication reduces anxieties. Leaders should communicate any unknowns while also showing confidence that together the organization can face any challenges, adapt, and remain successful.

To clearly convey the message across the organization, it is recommended that leaders host an all-staff meeting to kick off the initiative followed by individual department meetings. This allows the opportunity for staff to process the initial message before regrouping in a smaller setting to ask questions. It''''s crucial that leaders give sufficient time to listen to concerns, respond honestly, and continue to be available following the meetings. To demonstrate leadership''''s commitment, the change initiative should be prioritized on every team meeting agenda. By communicating effectively and often, leaders can begin to engrain the initiative into the culture of the organization and build trust and credibility.

Once the organization''''s proverbial sleeves are rolled up, things may start to get a little messy. Deadlines may be off track and outcomes may need to shift. This is the most challenging part of the change process, but also the most critical to leaders'''' communication efforts. When leaders prepare for the unexpected, they can be proactive and responsive. Leaders should find ways to motivate, inspire, and coach staff while focusing on results and rewarding those who achieve the goal. While the outcome may not always be what was envisioned, it is important to take the opportunity to identify small successes and reframe any failures to improve future performance. Helping people thrive with change and not just cope is what separates successful leaders.

Organizational excellence cannot be achieved without change and sustainable change takes time.

All organizations are impacted in some way by the regulatory, political, legal, environmental, technological, or competitive landscape. These external factors feed into the changes that take place internally. If organizations don''''t respond with their own improvement efforts they will eventually become obsolete. You can''''t improve unless you''''re willing to change. Responding to change positively, effectively, and responsibly allows organizations to create a culture of adaptability and, more importantly, remain viable. A clear vision and prioritization of change initiatives coupled with effective and consistent communication is the formula for successful outcomes.