I’ve recently started working with a small business owner with an audacious vision. He wants to triple his sales in five years and develop a successor to take over daily management of his business. Executing on such a vision can be overwhelming—there are so many things that must be done to get there! Roles must change to create room for new work to be done that results in the desired change. Some people may have to give up aspects of their work that they are good at—that make them feel competent—in order to take on new things, which may challenge the sense of competence. Leaders and team members must all change to create the new future.
The leadership work in executing such a change is not only in articulating a new vision for the future but also in helping oneself and the team through the practical and emotional challenges of change.
Here are a few strategies to help lead change:
Be clear about what is changing and what is staying the same (as far as you can predict), both for yourself and your team members. (Nothing ever stays the same for long!)
Understand that change necessarily involves loss and that team members need time to process what the change will mean to them. Acknowledge the loss, discuss what might be needed to address the loss, and then link that change to that exciting vision and new possibilities. Usually, leaders are ahead of the game in processing what the changes will mean to them since they are the ones who have the vision.
Remove excuses for sticking with the “old ways”—this is important for everyone. The leader must be disciplined in not back-sliding to old processes and behaviors, and they must pay attention and insist on the new behaviors with their team members.
Ensure two-way communication. One thing that is certain as we move forward toward a different vision of the future—there will be surprises, things you did not anticipate. Seek feedback from the team about how it’s going, adapt as needed-- be prepared to feel your way forward! We cannot know all the details when we are pushing off into the unknown.
Make sure to design milestones along the way to the ultimate goal. Celebrate changes, new roles, new learning, etc. Most of us want to know that we are moving in the right direction, going the right speed, etc. before we get to the finish line. It motivates us and sustains us through challenges.
Keep coming back to the why. As the saying goes, if you know where you’re going, it increases the chance you will get there. Don’t forget to keep coming back to the vision that is driving all the changes you are making—are you getting closer? What does your team think?
Having a new vision for the future is the first and most exciting part of making a change. The challenge is recognizing and letting go of old habits that will not get you there and replacing these old ways of doing things with new behaviors and processes that will.
For more on how to lead change read William Bridges, Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. If you or someone you know is interested in fine tuning a vision for action and implementation, please contact me at info@peghuntcoaching.com
©Anne Garing, PhD & Peg Hunt, MS
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