Managing Change in Organizations

1. Plan Carefully

Before you bring proposed change to your team, make sure you have a clear
plan in place that covers, at a minimum, when, how, and why the change is
taking place. Ideally, you'll have documented the tasks needed to get you to
where you want to be, outlined new or changing responsibilities for anyone
affected, crafted a fully-developed timeline, and come up with responses to
address potential concerns.

2. Be as Transparent as Possible

One of the tricky parts about organizational change is that it will often arrive in
phases, or will involve a level of confidentiality on the part of the management
team or certain individuals. However, especially when the change will be a
major one, it's helpful to be as transparent as possible with your employees -
even if you can't give them all of the details, being upfront about the pieces
you can share (and clearly explaining their impact) will go a long way towards
helping your staff feel more comfortable.

3. Tell the Truth

This is an easy rule to follow when the change in question is positive; when
the change is in response to challenging circumstances or will result in short-
term negative outcomes, this becomes trickier. However, being honest with
your staff to the extent that you're able to is usually the best route:
sugarcoating, presenting things in an overly optimistic way, and promising
unrealistic outcomes will just make your staff suspicious and distrustful of your
motives. While it's important, as a manager, to present an optimistic front to
your team, do so in a way that acknowledges potential challenges and
drawbacks.

4. Communicate

Keep the lines of communication open between you and your employees.
Take the time to explain why the change is happening, and what it will look
like in practice. Make yourself open to questions, hold team meetings, and
invite your reports to come see you and talk through their concerns or
thoughts in a neutral atmosphere.

5. Create a Roadmap
Help your employees understand where the organization is, where it's been,
and where it's going. How does the change play into the business's history,
and how is it going to shape its future? Laying this out clearly will demonstrate
the thought and strategy behind the change, and will help staff see how it fits
into, or is evolving from, the business model they've become accustomed to.

6. Provide Training

When the change involves shifts in technologies or processes, provide

adequate training for your employees to help them master the new way of
doing things. And make sure that you convey that this training will be available
when the change is announced, so as to avoid employees feeling like they'll
be left behind due to lack of skill or experience.

7. Invite Participation

Although this won't always be possible, giving employees the opportunity to

participate in, or give feedback on, decisions can be a really positive strategy.
Employees will be grateful for the chance to make their voices heard, and it
can also be a great way to get different perspectives and understand impacts
you might not have thought of otherwise.

8. Don't Expect to Implement Change Overnight

A longer, more strategic rollout is almost always the best option, rather than a
hasty shift in direction. Not only will you give your employees a chance to
adjust to the change, you'll be able to answer questions and address any
issues well in advance of the change going into place. Additionally, people are
generally slow to adopt new habits, so this will give your staff a chance to
familiarize themselves with the new way of doing things and gradually phase
out old practices in a more natural way.

9. Monitor and Measure

Once the change process is in motion, it's important to maintain consistent

oversight over implementation and rollout to ensure that things go smoothly
and that you'll ultimately be successful. Keep a close eye on potential
problems, and address any issues in a timely manner. Define metrics to
measure success, and continually monitor them to make sure that you're
staying on track. And continually touch base with key stakeholders to gauge
their perceptions and get any relevant feedback.

10. Demonstrate Strong Leadership

Above all else, remember to go back to basics and focus on maintaining and
exemplifying the qualities of a great leader. Inspire your team; demonstrate
strategic thinking; be open-minded and flexible; and show your team that they
can depend on you to have their best interests at heart. A strong leader can
help their team weather the storms of change with confidence and clear-
sightedness, no matter how challenging they might be.