What are the key actions you will take to facilitate the people side of change?
RELATED LEADERSHIP TOOLS
5.1 Change Equation 5.6 Aligning Systems 8.2 Direct Communication
5.3 Change Readiness 5.7 Stakeholder Groups 9.1 Leadership Versatility
FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE
Bridges, William. Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes.Addison-Wesley, 1980.
Campbell, Susan M. From Chaos to Confidence: Survival Strategies for the New Workplace.Simon & Schuster, 1995.
Hiebert, Murray. Powerful Professionals: Getting Your Expertise Used Inside Your Organization.Recursion Press, 1999.
Satir, Virginia. The New Peoplemaking.Science and Behavior Books, 1988.
162 SECTION 5 TOOLS FORLEADINGCHANGE
❑ Do not assume others have moved
with you or are in the same phase
of transition. Often, you, as leader,
are at the New Beginnings stage
and wonder why others are not
there with you.
❑ It’s natural for people to gripe, to
wish for the good old days, the
past, the way things were.
❑ People need to express their
feelings at Endings. Help them do
that:
−Ask people about their feelings.
−Protect persons who vent.
−Express your own feelings.
❑ Your role is to listen, to empathize,
not sympathize.
❑ Honor the past. Acknowledge what
had worked in the past.
❑ Do not take peoples’ venting
personally. You can fix things, but
you can’t fix people.
❑ Most Endings end naturally. After
venting a few times, most people
will want to move on.
❑ Use the power of the group.
Endings are much more powerful
and quicker when they occur
publicly and in a group session.
❑ Support is a key feature: Listen and
lead.Endings Turmoil period New beginnings❑ It’s natural and okay to be in
turmoil:
−Emotionally:confusion, stress,
vacillation, blaming others
−Thinking:asking why, resisting
suggestions, second-guessing
−Behaviorally:“just going
through the motions”
❑ Some people will try to recapture
the way things were; others will
want to rush ahead to the future.
❑ Transitions can’t be forced, but
they can be led. Turmoil takes
some time, but be definite about a
time limit.
❑ Insist on the rational change
while personally supporting your
people. Be tough on the problem
but supportive of people. “Tough
love” is an apt phrase during
transitions.
❑ Focus on the here and now, on
short-term, familiar activities.
Insist that the day-to-day work
gets done.
❑ Mantain a balance between
individual and group work:
−Individual:Deal with individual
issues, help individuals through
the transition.
−Group:Harness the power of the
group; help the group through
the change.❑ Declare the transition over.
Announce New Beginnings.
❑ Celebrate or otherwise symbolically
mark the New Beginnings.
❑ Recognize new beginnings:
−Emotionally:new energy, new
spirit, focus outward
−Thinking:setting new goals,
looking ahead, focusing on
results
−Behaviorally:talk of future, focus
on productivity
❑ Help group members look beyond
the day-to-day (which you
encouraged during the Turmoil
period). Formulate expectations,
state them clearly, and follow up.
❑ Clarify longer-range goals, results,
vision, and strategy. Focus on a
target and marshal work toward
that target.
❑ A group will need to (re)consider:
−group mission or purpose,
−goals,
−roles and accountabilities, and
−ground rules.
❑ Check for systems alignment. One
of the major reasons for the failure
of change to take hold is that other
interacting organizational systems
do not support the change.