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Effective communication is a key component of any successful change initiative. Leaders need to present a clear vision for change. Managers also have a role to play in selling that vision to their team. Here, we outline ten "dos" and "don’ts" of change conversations.
Five Dos
1. Do Take Your Time
Taking the time to talk to your team members individually can feel like a luxury when you’re trying to juggle organizational change with your day-to-day responsibilities. But putting in the investment up front – giving each person a chance to raise concerns and ask questions – will pay dividends in the long run.
Try to get something in the calendar as soon as possible after the change has been announced and give yourself more time than you think you need for each meeting. Set up the agenda according to what your team member wants to discuss, not what you can fit into your schedule.
2. Do Focus on the "Why"
The first step in John Kotter’s renowned change management model is to establish a sense of urgency. [1] In other words, you need to show people why the status quo is no longer an option, and underline the consequences of failing to act.
Before you begin a change conversation, it’s crucial for everyone to understand what the change involves and why the organization is making it.
3. Do Make it Personal
Resistance to change often stems from uncertainty. It’s not always easy to connect a company-wide change to the change in an individual role, so team members may ask "What will this mean for me?" Explaining how the change will benefit the organization is a good place to start, but it doesn’t necessarily answer that question.
Plan ahead when you need to have a change conversation with a member of your team. Try to anticipate the kinds of questions they’re likely to ask, so you can offer clear responses and minimize any anxiety associated with the situation. By showing team members where they fit into the change, you'll equip them better to make a positive contribution to the initiative.
4. Do Listen Actively
Everyone needs to know that their opinion has been heard and understood, even if you think the case for change is clear-cut. Once you’ve explained what the change entails and why it’s needed, your team member should be doing most of the talking.
When you do speak, ask open questions to develop the conversation, and avoid closed questions that invite "yes" or "no" answers. Summarize the points the conversation raises, to check that you've both understood them.
Look out for subtle changes in body language or tone of voice, as these may tell you more than someone is willing to express out loud. This can be hard to do if you or your team member works remotely, so be ready to clarify by asking questions.
5. Do Follow Up
Someone’s immediate reaction to change doesn’t necessarily reflect how they will feel about it in the long term. For instance, someone who initially resists an idea may warm to it once they’ve had the opportunity to reflect and discuss it with colleagues.
Similarly, a team member who enthusiastically embraces a change in principle may become disillusioned once they realize what it means in practice. So, it’s useful to check in with your team at regular intervals to gauge how they’re feeling at each stage of the process, and address concerns as they arise.
Five Don’ts
1. Don’t Put it Off
Make an effort to meet with your team, in person or online. Respond as openly as possible to their questions. If you don't they will look for answers elsewhere. This is how rumors start. So, act quickly to reduce uncertainty and prevent false or misleading information from spreading.
2. Don’t Make Assumptions
A clichéd notion in change management theory is that people are naturally resistant to change, and instinctively drawn to maintaining the status quo. This might be true in some cases, but it doesn’t hold in general.
When approaching change conversations, don’t assume that your team member’s response will be the same as yours, or that of their co-workers. Instead, go into the discussion with an open mind and respond to what you hear, not what you expect to hear.
3. Don’t Over-Prepare
It's possible to have too much of a good thing. On the one hand, you want to have the facts and figures at your fingertips so you can respond to questions and address any anxiety your team might be feeling. But you also don’t want to overdo it and bombard them with a carefully rehearsed presentation that stifles real dialog. This might seem to contradict our earlier point about the importance of preparation, but as in all things, balance is key.
4. Don’t Hide Behind Email or Text
If possible, have the conversations about change in person. If your team is remote or hybrid, that might not be possible, but you should at least arrange a video call, on Teams, Slack or Zoom. It’s more personal than an exchange of emails, texts or WhatsApp messages for one thing. It also shows that you care enough to spend time with your team members as people, and that you’re not simply trying to tick a box.
5. Don’t Pass Judgment
References[1] John Kotter, Leading Change. (Harvard Business School Press, September 1996).
