Preparing others for Change

As you implement your strategy, spend time helping everyone who will be affected by the change understand and prepare for it.

Your role as a manager during change is to make it happen. This is far easier to achieve if you support your staff and take them with you on this journey. As you implement your strategy, spend time helping everyone who will be affected by the change understand and prepare for it.

One issue to remember is that you and other management (especially senior management) may have been working on the need for change for some time. In your minds, it is clear why it should happen. For other staff, a strategy to change may come as a complete surprise. To mitigate adverse reactions it is important that, even if they don't like the change, your staff fully understand why it is necessary. Take the time to explain this. Also remember that with the journey you are taking them on, things may get worse before they get better. If people are going to follow someone on such a journey they must have confidence in the leader. Be that confident leader, and demonstrate that you are confident in you actions. Make yourself visible and available--this is not time to hide.

ACTION POINT: When introducing change, ensure your team fully understands why it is necessary.