Encyclopedia of Leadership

1. The first meeting: Endings. They announced the change and the upcoming layoffs. The
   meeting was focused on letting go of the past, listening to employees, and inviting peo-
   ple to express their feelings.


2. The next meeting, a week later, created the inevitable Turmoil as the new organiza-
   tional structure was reviewed with employees. The focus was on the transition from let-
   ting go to beginning a new future.


3. The final meeting, a month later, focused on New Beginnings. Plans were made and
   goals clarified.

One person in the organization expressed her feelings about the three-step process this

way: “I’ve been through downsizing before and never want to go through one of these exer-

cises again, but this was by far the least traumatic. Normally, at the first meeting, managers,

uneasy with the emotions of layoffs, would quickly shift the meeting discussion to the ‘bright

future ahead,’ while employees listening could only think of the traumatic present.”

LEADING THE PEOPLE SIDE OF CHANGE

1.

INSERT

ART

final

current

produc-

tivity

level

transi-

tion pro-

ductivity

Productivity goes down during the turmoil phase, as people struggle to learn and master

the new way of doing things. If they don’t understand the human need for transitional space

or time, leaders might panic as productivity temporarily drops. They then begin another

change, on top of the old change, in an attempt to fix things and regain lost productivity. This

can create additional turmoil and stress, and possibly an additional decrease in productivity.

HOW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL

“Some changes are so slow you don’t notice them, others are so fast they don’t notice you.”

Ashleigh Brilliant

Leaders cannot force transitions, but they can facilitate and expedite them. Use this checklist

to plan effective people transition in your organization.

SECTION 5 TOOLS FORLEADINGCHANGE 161

• People experience a loss of
  the old ways.


• People need to vent.


• The leader needs to listen.

current productivity

level

1. Endings 3. New beginnings

➟

• A period of uneasiness and
  stress follows letting go of the
  past.


• Often, lower productivity
  results.


• People want the best of both
  worlds, old and new.

transition productivity

• People come to accept and
  even value the new way.


• Leaders attain the benefit of
  change.

2. Turmoil

➟

increased

productivity