Change can be good…but it can also be unsettling!
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As the world comes to terms with the death of Queen Elizabeth the Second, within days, the now King Charles the Third accedes to the throne.
Barely anytime for a nation to come to terms, and suddenly further huge change. Doubtless our new King will have prepared for the moment, but the reality and the emotion of the events are something different.
What of the people that serve the Royal Family, many of whom will have worked in their roles for many years, if not decades…what of the people for whom the late Queen had been a constant for most of our lives?
How then can we prepare for change in business?
Make sure that information and communication is at the centre of the organization. Change can be unsettling but clear communication makes it easier. This also involves a full understanding of why change has to happen. Clear and transparent but delivered with understanding of people’s emotions.
Communication has to be two ways. Listen to your people and be particularly aware of those who are most resistant to change.
Engage with your people, and this will allow them to make informed decisions. Yes, sometimes you will have to impose certain actions, but empower your team members to be part of the process where possible.
Spend time with your teams and understand the day-to-day issues that change will have on them. Listen…two ears and one mouth!
Change will not affect one area…it will impact on different areas of the business. Where possible, push decision making down to the lowest levels…give your people a voice. Encourage collaboration between different areas, assigning projects.
The new younger generation of the workforce may accept change more easily, but you need to take the entire business with you…with the next generation not knowing what jobs will look like in ten years, you need to make sure that handling change is a well-practiced skill in the workplace.
Since change is unavoidable, we need to embrace it. Once we do that, we will learn that change often brings a lot of new opportunities and experiences that are actually good for us!
“The Only Constant in Life Is Change.”
Heraclitus
