Change is constant.  But it is how we adapt to change that matters most.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how proud I have been of my children (and so many other children out there) for their ability to adapt to change this past year.  The pandemic has thrown these kids curve ball after curve ball.  You’re in school, no you’re home today, nope, back in school.  You can’t play baseball.  Yes you can. No you can’t.  I have watched my kids adapt to changes in their lives on a daily basis, and while it isn’t easy, I am so amazed on how they are pulling through this difficult time.  That said, sometimes you think all is ok but then one thing can throw them off and they start to fall apart.  It’s a true awakening that we don’t always know what is going on inside of them.  It’s how we communicate, educate them and help them understand what is happening that helps them get through…helps them adapt.

As I reflect on what I have seen in children in the past 12 months, I realize that I have watched this sort of “adaptation to change” my entire career.  Anyone who works (or has worked) in any large company, specifically in a development role, knows that part of the everyday life is having the ability to adapt to change.  As a leader, you may understand the cause of changes within an organization because you have direct access to that information.  You take part in the BIG meetings with the C-Suite.  But your team doesn’t.  And without a clear understanding of what is driving the change that they need to adapt to, they may be struggling in ways you aren’t seeing.

Here are a few tips on how you can help your team adapt to change in a way that is simple and transparent.  Wow, isn’t that a concept!

There are 4 questions you should be answering when your team faces change

1. Where are we headed? Give a clear description and transparency of what the future state looks like.  If the business is headed in a new direction – let the team know.  I’ve personally experienced the awful reality of not knowing where my leader was headed and it hit me like a ton of bricks the day I found out.  That shouldn’t have happened.  I know there is often some level of confidentiality, but being honest and as transparent as possible is so critical to powerful leadership. Identify the top 3 to 5 things (no more than 5 or it will get too complicated!) that clearly define a successful future state.

2. Why are we changing? Change is driven by SOMETHING.  This past year, the pandemic sent the world in a spin, so change was expected at the macro level.  However, at the micro level, there are decisions being made by management that require further explanation. For example, if a decision is made to eliminate a function completely, let the team know how that decision was made.  If fundamental core processes are being modified which results in a reduction in staff, then explain that change.  And once again, I cannot stress the importance of HONESTY.  Don’t give an impacted staff member a dishonest excuse for a change.  They will ultimately find out where the business is headed and it will be a terrible reflection on you and the company.

For example, a year or so ago I was having a conversation with a friend who was impacted by a workforce reduction.  She told me that the justification she was given during her notification was that the business was headed in a “new direction”.  During her exit interview, management asked her many questions about core functions and processes, as well as strategic plans.  If you don’t have a clear picture of current state versus proposed future state, then a “change in direction” is not the true meaning behind the position elimination and that becomes crystal clear to the person impacted as well as the rest of the team.  Looks like honesty got lost in that messaging….

3. What is the impact? The impact of change comes in many forms.  I look at it in the simple terms of PEOPLE, PROCESS, and PROFITABILITY.

PEOPLE – the human side of change is the hardest to digest.  Take a moment.  Close your eyes and think of a colleague or someone on your team that was impacted by a lay off in the past year.  Was it someone that you thought really highly of or….maybe the change felt completely justified to you?  Either way, the change is real and that person has to pick up the pieces and move forward.

How was this change communicated to the person impacted?  To the team?  Was it with compassion and direction or was it vague and unclear?  

As a leader it is so easy to get caught up in managing through the communication plan and series of events surrounding change that we often lose compassion for both those impacted and those left behind.  I personally had to deliver these messages many times throughout my career.  I found it to be one of the most draining experiences. However, when I was honest and put PEOPLE first, I felt as though I was being the best leader I could be.

PROCESS –I spent a great deal of my career working with large real estate development organizations.  Change and having the ability to adapt to that change is a constant for these functions.  Having a clearly defined, documented, process is CRITITCAL to success.  When there is a need to make adjustments to that process it will be so much easier to look at the current state and adapt to a future state.  It should become clear where changes are taking place and will be easier for the team to understand how it impacts their role directly.

PROFITABILITY – Change is often implemented to drive an increase in profitability via a reduction in costs, or on the flip side, to increase revenues.  I know of few changes that were made just for the sake of making a change during my career (although for those of you who work in development – design changes may be just because the boss likes the color blue – but let’s save that thought for another blog….).  As a leader, you should always be able to calculate the ROI or impact of everything that impacts your department.  And if you aren’t terribly analytical, find someone who is to assist you in this analysis.

4. How do we know when we have reached the destination? Are we there yet? A phrase too often shouted from the back seat of the car by your kids when you are headed just about anywhere. Your team feels the same way about the changes you’ve implemented.  If you created a clear picture of where you were headed when the journey began, then you should be able to tell the team when you have arrived at that place.

Have you completed the 3 to 5 things that you defined in the beginning of this change process?  Track toward those things on a regular basis and communicate successes and roadblocks to the team during regularly scheduled team meetings.  When you’ve reached (or are reaching) the destination it shouldn’t be a surprise if you’ve been communicating all along the way.

Reaching the destination should feel understood and comfortable.  These were the changes, these were the impacts, this is the new process, and I understand my new role and responsibilities.  Each member of your team should feel they can answer YES to all of these things once you’ve reached your destination.

Where you may get stuck

I fully understand the complexity of change, and I also know that adapting to change isn’t as easy as answering the four simple questions I’ve shared in this blog.  We can’t always be as transparent as we would like to be.  There may be a level of confidentiality.  You may not truly understand all of the impacts that a proposed change is going to have on the productivity of the department.  But the one thing that is certain, is that people adapt and those that don’t (or won’t) usually find themselves on the impacted side of the next round of changes for one reason or another.  Even if you face complexities or uncertainty, the concept of being a clear, honest, and transparent leader is something that you can always achieve no matter what the situation…..and that’s the kind of leader I believe you want to be.

My team is about to undergo change…where do I begin?

Start with the end in mind….identify your destination and then plan your journey to get there.  Many leaders don’t have the band-with to properly plan changes themselves as they are being pulled in many directions.

If you need help in assessing, analyzing, planning, and mapping out the path to your destination, I can help.  Contact me so we can schedule a time to connect.

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