Learning How To Change
Photo by Ross Elder on Unsplash
When we’re presented with change of any material scale, it’s not uncommon for us to hesitate, to be concerned.
We wonder what the change will mean for us, how our work will be altered, what ‘price’ we’ll have to pay.
All natural and normal reactions, because change can be scary and overwhelming.
As leaders we can try and help folks feel more uncomfortable with the process. We can communicate more. We can paint the big picture. We can help them understand what they can do to maintain some control over the situation. We can show them the benefits. We can help them preserve their ‘position’ or standing (i.e. save face).
All helpful. Sometimes, though, what folks are missing is not a primer on what’s happening and why, it’s something more fundamental. What they want to know is:
“Am I able to do this?”.
Their main concern is, will I be able to adapt? Will I be able to do the job?
Not - it’s important to note - whether they’re ‘cut out’ to do the job, because that’s more a question of intention. Many will opt out, formally or otherwise, because ‘it’s all too much for them’.
But there are plenty of folks who want to make it work, and their concern is, can I learn what needs to be done and then do it well?
As a leader, your job is to make sure you provide that comfort. Your objective should be to ensure they can access the training that’s needed in the right form. To provide guides who can ensure the training is effectively absorbed. To provide a mechanism for mentoring and development to move folks up the learning curve.
This is essential because the resistance to change is often mired in “I don’t want to look like an idiot”. But that part isn’t typically addressed as much as why we need this change and the importance of this change to the company.
We need to put ourselves in our people’s shoes and help them not only explain the rationale and emotional aspects of the change effort, but also the practical elements.
Not just “It’s important that we do this” but also just as much, “You can do this, and this is how”.
