Opinion: Change disrupts; workplace leaders smooth it out

An important part of an organization’s well-being is the ability of its leaders to drive change. We’ve all experienced change in our work lives, as well as our personal lives, and we know that some changes have been more successful than others. According to the Harvard Business Review, approximately 70% of workplace change initiatives fail shortly after they are implemented. The likely cause? It’s not that leaders don’t know what to do to implement workplace change, but rather they are typically not skilled in how to implement the change.

People tend to quickly accept or embrace change when they initiate it themselves, understand the rationale and can see the advantages to it – and when they have an opportunity to control, or at least influence, the change.

People will react to change in different ways. Some might completely oppose it, while others take a wait-and-see approach. And still others might look forward to the change. Regardless of the various responses to change, leaders must be prepared to help their team members move closer to embracing the change. Knowing how your team is reacting to a specific change or how you anticipate they will react once a change is announced, provides valuable insight into how you might lead. In the midst of change, pay attention to what people say and do.

As leaders, we want to help our team transition through the phases of resisting change, ignoring it or simply accommodating it, to embracing and championing the change. We can accomplish that by taking action in three ways: describe what’s changing and why, seek reactions and feelings, and regain a sense of control.

1. Describe what’s changing and why.

Leaders can clearly see the business rationale of the change they are implementing as well as the behavioral changes that must occur. They should use this information to describe what’s changing and why. Presenting these ideas appeal to people’s logical side, but people don’t always respond to change rationally. Simply knowing there is a good basis for a decision doesn’t mean people won’t resist the idea. To accelerate change, it’s important to understand how people might react, recognize those reactions and respond in a way that helps them move forward.

2. Seek reactions and feelings.

Change can elicit a wide range of emotions, from confusion to fear to excitement. Those emotions can create a barrier that prevents team members from seeing the true benefits of the upcoming change.

People can experience confusion or anxiety, even when they have been looking forward to the change. These reactions can look like resistance. However, resistance to change isn’t necessarily negative but can be a sign of engagement. Those who may be the most vocal could be those who care the most or have the most passion or commitment to the team, their clients or the organization. As leaders, dealing with resistance can be one of the most difficult skills to master. The tendency can be to push back or try to overcome it, which tends to lead to more, not less, resistance.

Before we can expect our teams to embrace our vision for change, it’s important to acknowledge and address their personal needs. Demonstrating empathy and encouraging involvement are particularly important to ensure success. We also must clearly address practical needs, such as helping our teams understand what they are expected to do differently and agree on how everyone will monitor the change. By utilizing effective communication skills, leaders can meet both personal and practical needs of individuals as they move closer to embracing change.

3. Regain a sense of control.

Many times, people feel a loss of control in the midst of change, particularly if they have not initiated it. Leaders can help their teams by facilitating conversation around how much control they actually have. As a team, discuss the aspects of the change they can control, elements they cannot and, finally, factors they can influence. If people can get past the initial emotions associated with change, they can begin to identify areas they can influence and feel a sense of control again, which helps them move forward to embracing change.

When leaders help others see their vision of change, acknowledge reactions associated with change and help others regain a sense of control, they can create an agile work environment where people are open to diverse ideas and utilize flexibility in meeting ever-changing business needs.

Karen Shannon, vice president of business consulting and chief human resources officer for Ollis/Akers/Arney, works with clients worldwide on key business and HR strategies. She can be reached at karen.shannon@ollisaa.com.