The IEP Learning Academy Podcast

How to Guide Your Team Through Change

Brought to you by Assemble You.

It’s time to work on you. So sit back and listen to practical, actionable advice to accelerate your progress.
Nothing is certain except death, taxes, and change. Change is inevitable, it comes
for us in all aspects of our lives, and when you're managing a team, you are watching it
affect not only yourself but also those who work around you. Today, we're going to
learn: how to help you manage change effectively, how to motivate your team, and
how to guide them through the change.

When change is required, your initial focus should be creating and outlining a detailed
transition plan. Do you know where this change is leading you? If so, you have a goal
and can set milestones to reach on the way to that goal. Recognise where you are now
and where you need to be. Then start to define your team's short- and long-term
goals clearly. Consider all of the elements relevant to what your team is going through
- for example: is there a specific timeline to which you need to adhere? Are there
predefined steps your team must take? Once you have an outline of your plan, bring it
to your team, and ask for their input. Your team can give you feedback that helps
update and streamline your plan of action based on their skills and knowledge. In
addition, asking for this kind of feedback will motivate your team to feel ownership
over the plan and be accountable for their own change. Your team can help fill gaps in
your plan of action that you may have overlooked.

Resist the urge to share only the broad picture vision and end goal with your team.
According to Gartner, in order for big changes to take hold, people at every level of
the organisation need to understand why these changes are taking place. With a
top-down approach, the gap in understanding between the C-suite and entry-level
employees is a whopping 31%. Compare this to an open-source change strategy,
where that gap shrinks to a mere 3%. So keep in mind that whatever change is
happening for you, if you are leading a team, it's also happening for them. Change is a
period of flux which means you need to learn to adapt not only to the big picture but to
the nitty-gritty as well.

Communication is key in times of change. Your team will process it better if they
have a clear idea of what is going on. Being honest and transparent with them will
smooth the change process for everyone. You aren’t the only one suddenly thrust into
confusing waters. After creating a detailed plan and refining it with your team, keep
them updated with what is or isn’t working or what new obstacles have been thrown in
from higher up. Once again, keeping these lines of communication open will help your
team get on board because it feels like they have a stake in the game. And if you don’t
know the answer? Say so! That level of transparency will endear your team and remind
them that this change is happening to all of you simultaneously - you are all navigating
the same boat.

You must make time for questions from your team as you both navigate the choppy
waters of change. Whatever communication you receive from higher up is likely not
trickling down to your team without your help. So there will be more questions coming
your way than what you may feel is normal. Remind your team that you are there to
help them out, not just delegate expectations.

That being said - don’t forget to delegate to team leadership! It is okay to lean on your
team when it is needed. As Steve Jobs once said
It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell
them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us
what to do.

You want your team to be successful at the end of a period of flux. Now is a perfect
time to lean on your team leaders and delegate aspects of your transition plan.
That provides an opportunity to nurture talent on your team, giving opportunities to
those who want to move up. It also eases the transition to new organisational
structures, roles, and expectations in a way that feels organic. For example, you may
offer a leadership opportunity to someone you know will end up with a more
demanding role. In doing so, you are engaging that team member and introducing
them to a higher level of expectation during a period where you both will be extra
communicative with each other.

Consider creating a transition “team” in which you delegate specific tasks or goals in
your transition plan to specific people on your team. At regular intervals, you could
have a meeting where everyone updates the team on the task they are responsible for.
In one swoop, you will have delegated tasks in your transition, outlined and refined
your transition plan, opened the channels of communication as well as an opportunity
for constructive feedback, engaged your team members in the change, and mitigated
the risk of miscommunication between team members.

Change in a workplace is hard, especially when managing a team. Reports may call on
you to manage conflicts more often during a time when everyone is experiencing more
stress. Once again - communication here is key! You need to be listening to your team,
and clearly communicating what needs to be done and by whom. And you need to be
doing so with an overextended sense of empathy. It’s impossible to predict just how
everyone will react to change in the workplace and how those changes will bleed into
their personal sphere. Conflict resolution may not go as smoothly as it had in the past,
and that is normal! In these situations, an empathetic leader is more effective than a
stoic one. Listening to your delegates can also illuminate future problem areas - which
you can nip in the bud before they expand.

Here’s an example for you. Perhaps because of a new organisational structure, two
members of your team find they’re doing the same work, and there’s a
misunderstanding about how they should do it. If you navigate change and conflict
with a little extra compassion, the members of your team may feel more encouraged to
engage you in conflict resolution. They may come to you for clarity on who is doing the
task “right”. By listening with empathy, you can more effectively answer their question
- who will be doing this task in the future, and how can the other person support them
through the transition?

With delegation and empathy, you can ease the stress of transition for you and your
team. You won’t feel you’re doing all this on your own (after all, change cannot happen
in a vacuum), and both yourself and your team members will feel open to
communicating effectively and openly.

With all this planning and tasking, it can be easy to forget to thank your team. Times of
change are times when people need support more than ever, and that goes for the
workplace as well. Make sure you balance any constructive feedback with positive
reinforcement and recognise the moments when your team goes above and beyond.
Show gratitude to your team and make sure to check in with their needs as you
navigate the transition together. Offer extra resources to manage stress or anxiety and
find a time for morale-building activities. What you want to do is remind your team
members that you appreciate them, and that it wouldn’t be possible to go through this
change without them. That will also help build loyalty within your team, ensuring they
won’t abandon ship when you finally reach your destination.

Feedback is crucial - and it goes both ways. Ask for specific feedback on your
transition plan and pivot accordingly - your decisions affect your team, after all. That
can also help frame the transition as an opportunity rather than a nuisance for your
team. There are some things you likely won’t be able to change - directives have to
come from somewhere, after all - but there is a lot you can frame in a positive light.
Take feedback sessions as opportunities to educate on what is working, what needs to
be done, and how you can stay on track to achieve your goals. And remember - this
education flows both ways. Make sure to schedule these feedback sessions regularly
so there are no surprises in the end.

Change is inevitable, and it is never comfortable. But by implementing a transition
plan, maintaining an open and empathetic line of communication, and providing and
listening to the feedback you can ease the shock of change for yourself and your
team. At the core, you want to approach change with a positive mindset so you can
get back to working effectively, as a team.

Next time you are confronted with a change project be honest, open, and remember to
communicate with your team. That’s all for now, have a great day.