Wow, the latest PM Blog Carnival (here) sure had some blogworthy entries in this edition…this must be my fifth post inspired by it. Louise Manning at The Human Imprint had a set of key change management steps (here), the foundation of which is her riff on the well-known Gandhi quote:
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” How does a manager facilitate change – well they need to engage and enable their staff.
I was struck by the vivid example of a father fearing the birth of his children in a change management post by Martha Rice (here) at the CMOE blog. Fear-based resistance requires a determined, yet gentle change strategy based on acknowledging the fears, accepting those feelings, then adjusting those perceptions to the reality. Her bullet points are a useful aide memoire:
- Demonstrating commitment; clarifying your reasons for the change.
- Inviting questions and responding promptly
- Using active listening skills; show that you hear and understand the concerns of others, but don’t take on or “own” their burdens
- Increasing communication and information sharing
- Reinforcing the value of your team members
- Providing regular updates on the progress and benefits of the change (e-mails, bulletin boards, memo’s, briefings, etc.)
- Working through the “harsh realities” of change
- Being accessible to team members
- Setting aside time for individual coaching
Filed under: Communications, Leadership, Organizational Change Management, People Development, Performance Management | Tagged: acceptance, coaching, fear, Louise Manning, Mahatma Gandhi, Martha Rice, Paul Ritchie, resistance
Thank you for including my post in your carnival.