Perpetual change is the one
constant in the business landscape. Revolutionary scientific discoveries,
breakthrough technologies, updated regulations, new leadership, shifting job
roles, and relocation are just a few examples of major change in the professional
world. The fact is, change is inevitable and necessary. Yet many employees
aren’t prepared to embrace change.
Why is change so difficult? One reason has to do with our
brains. The human brain is wired to scout for all that’s bad. How else would we
identify a threat or discomfort? Yet Neuropsychologist Rick Hanson says the
brain is like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones.
That means we have a lot of negative associations to choose from when trying to
assess a new situation, or “change”. Plus, we all suffer from what is called
negativity bias, when the brain reacts more intensely to bad news, compared to
good news.
Knowing that people can react poorly to change, leaders need to be very adept
at change management.
But what exactly is change management? It has three parts:
1. any
approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations
2. using
methods intended to re-direct the use of resources, business process, budget
allocations, or other modes of operation
3. that
significantly reshape a company or organization
Freddi Donner, executive coach and founder of Business Stamina,
developed a valuable tool for managing any type of change in an organization.
It is based on the word CHOICE, making its principals easy to remember.
C hoice
H elp Others
A ccept
N ew Normal
G row
E mbrace Feedback
Let’s go through each letter in more detail.
C | Make the
CHOICE to Participate in a Positive Way
Since our brain is Velcro to negative experiences, we will
gravitate toward negative perspectives if left to our own devices. This is true
for the team, and true for leadership, since they set the tone for the
transition.
But how do you actually make the choice to be positive rather
than negative? Is it a mind trick? Not necessarily. Here are six quick tips to
help you participate in change in a positive way:
Tips For Participating Positively in Change
1. Look
for or call a role model and observe how they react to change. They may be able
to provide the blueprint for you to follow as you navigate new terrain.
2. Visualize
yourself facing the change successfully without stress. Research shows that
visualizing a particular situation can create the same effects behaviorally and
psychologically as actually experiencing the situation.
3. Use
music. The first-large scale review of 400 research papers in the
neurochemistry of music found that music can improve the function of the body’s
immune system and reduce levels of stress.
4. Laughter
is the best medicine. Really! Laughing releases endorphins, the natural
feel-good chemicals in our brains. It can even temporarily relieve pain.
5. Let it
out. If you’re anxious about change, or even feeling angry about the
transition, tell a co-worker or manager that you trust. Sometimes things are
much worse in our own minds (negativity bias); speaking your fears out loud
gives us a more accurate perspective on the situation.
H | HELP Others.
It Gets You Into a Positive Frame of Mind
Despite your own trepidations, help others with different
outlooks than your own. Identify an issue that is real, current and changing in
your department, with your client, or in work groups you belong to. Ask
yourself how you will help others with this change. Here are some tips to get
you started:
Tips Helping Others Face Change To Get You
Into a Positive Frame of Mind
1. Lead
change rather than fight it. As champion of the change, encourage others to
become authors of the change as well. For example, if a change in software is
happening, proactively start discussion groups with coworkers about what to
expect and how to best face the process.
2. Bring
others into the conversation and allow them to contribute to the design of the
change. This motivates everyone to say yes and move forward.
3. Point
out the upside to change around co-workers. This will help both you and your
co-workers get into a more positive frame of mind.
A | ACCEPT
That This Change Is In Everyone’s Best Interest, Even If You Don’t Agree
Sometimes the wave of change is headed your way full force
whether you’re ready or not. You can either let the wave crash against you,
knock you down and pull you under, or you can face the same direction the wave
is headed and catch a ride to shore. Make the decision to ride the wave (accept
the change) and plan to make it to shore gracefully (plan on success).
When there is a change of environment, people experience a lack
of control, which can be very unsettling. To make things easier, don’t resist;
open your mind to acceptance. Here are some tips for accepting change, even
when you feel uneasy.
Tips For Accepting Change
1. Remind
your team that change is made with lots of thought, even if they weren’t
involved in the process.
2. Stay
internally calm and positive. There is nothing your anxiety and negativity can
do to prevent the change from happening, so you might as well avoid the stress.
3. Let go
of any bad feelings you have about the situation and you will be more open to a
smooth transition. Encourage others to do the same.
N | NEW NORMAL
Needs Communication
Facing a new normal requires a lot of communication. Go beyond
words when communicating—use graphs, diagrams, and before and after pictures.
The most important part of communicating is truly listening.
Listen to what is being said and what is not being said, in order to uncover
the fears others are experiencing but cannot express. You can do this by
watching body language and asking open ended questions. Here are more tips
about communicating the new normal.
Tips for using communication to adjust the
team to the new normal
1. Start
a conversation with two or three people at your organization about changes that
are occurring.
2. Use
open ended questions (who, what, when, where, how) to uncover resistance or
acceptance.
3. Share
your positive point of view.
4. Observe
the different perspectives (both positive and negative).
G | GROWTH Is
Important When Managing Change
Change provides an opportunity for your team to grow. Yet with
growth comes friction, awkwardness, discomfort, and uncertainty to those around
you. Remember that you are part of the story and can influence those around you
by modeling what change looks like in a positive light. Here are some tips for
promoting growth during change.
Tips For Promoting Growth During Times of
Change
1. Work
on improving your emotional intelligence (EQ).
2. Maintain
a strong and calm leadership presence with breathing and grounding techniques.
3. Find
commonalities in the group and leverage them to develop trust in your team.
E | EMBRACE Feedback So That You Know How
To Stay In The Game
When it comes to managing change, not everything will go right
the first time. That’s why feedback is so important. Truly listen to feedback
so you can course correct along the way. It is the cheapest and easiest way to
learn and grow!
But what if you don’t agree with another person’s point of view?
Don’t dismiss it. Instead, find ways to “try it on”. For example, ask yourself,
“What if this were true and I am just not seeing it?” This helps develop
flexibility in your perspective and helps you become a wiser leader. Here are
four tips for receiving feedback.
Tips For Receiving Feedback
1. Manage
your emotions; listen objectively to make sure you fully understand.
2. Calmly
evaluate and comment if the feedback is valid and can help you improve.
3. Listen
80% of the time and speak 20% of the time.
4. Don’t
tune out and start “your own conversation”; you may miss some important points.
Do you feel ready to ride that wave of change? It may not be
smooth sailing, but you’ll end up in a better place. Remember to choose to be
positive, help others face the change, accept the changes that are happening,
understand the new normal, see change as a growth opportunity for all and
embrace the gift of feedback.
Have you faced major change in your organization? What was the
most challenging part? We can all learn from each other.
Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send
me an email,
or find me on Twitter.
