Making change happen: how do modern leaders do it? [3 tips]
As a modern leader you probably train yourself silly: you’re not finished with a “Workshop coaching millennials”, or there is an “Inspiration session making impact” and a “Masterclass decisions”. You try to implement the new insights you gain in these training courses directly in the workplace. But how do you know for sure that your efforts really have the desired effect? In this blog I will give you three tips on how to implement changes in the workplace in a careful way.
The world changes, but people don’t always change with it
First, a big eye opener: not everyone does well on change. For many people, changes are huge energy guzzlers. Whether it’s a change of location, workplace, work process or manager: not everyone is eager or able to deal with this immediately. Secretly, many people would prefer things to stay the way they are. Familiar patterns provide calm, stability and a safe frame of reference in a rapidly changing world. This fact naturally makes it difficult for you as a manager to get everyone on board with your new ideas.
In addition, changes in an organization follow each other in quick succession. Due to staff turnover, changed legislation or developments in the market. The role of the manager also changes from managing to more coaching. Not an ideal environment for the modern leader to successfully implement change! Therefore I give you the following three tips.
Tip 1. Involve employees in the change
Don’t say that everyone should and should want to be part of the change immediately. Recognize that change is not fun at all for many people. Therefore, involve employees in the change plans and let them think along. For example, about the term of the change, the pace and the steps to be taken. And let them know they are allowed to make mistakes! For example, employees in a self-organizing team will sometimes lapse into old behavior and wait until a manager has set out all the lines. Give them time to get used to the new situation.
Tip 2. Work with initiators
To start a change, a new manager is often put on a team. To which the team members respond with: “There we have another one, this will blow over and in six months everything will be back to normal.” Work with initiators instead. Distribute these new, fresh eyes across different teams. This way, they get as many people as possible on board because of their enthusiasm for the change.
Let these go-getters make other people “jealous”, for example by letting them communicate about the successes, the benefits, the job satisfaction or the good team results. So stimulate the team from within and use the formula: I like it- I want to learn it- I want to have it.
Tip #3. Make decisions easy
Realize that making decisions is not a piece of cake for everyone. Especially when it comes to choosing between two alternatives that are both still unknown to the employees. For example, when choosing a tool that supports working as a self-organising team. The choice between tool A and tool B is not easy and therefore already evokes resistance to the new way of working in general among many team members. Therefore have one person coordinate these peripheral issues.
Instead, let team members make decisions about the changes that are manageable for them. Such as about the fulfilment of their own tasks. Invite them to come up with proposals that support the change. Reward them for their initiatives and see them! Otherwise they will have to change and decide everything themselves without any recognition in return.
Implementing changes: involve, inspire, appreciate and make it easy
So the way you implement changes is very important. The tips above can help you with that. Also, take a good look at how you fulfill your role as a modern leader. This will help you shape leadership in tomorrow’s economy. Do you want to know more about this? Then download the e-book below. This will give you greater insight into modern leadership in the new economy of value. Or
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E-book ‘Leadership in the economy of value’
Leading tomorrow’s challenges is all about achieving multiple value creation: economically viable, environmentally responsible and socially just outcomes. To realize this multiple value creation, it is not one organization that is ‘exclusively’ in charge, but the network, the community, the community.
Our E-Book ‘Leadership in the economy of value’ gives you insight into what value-creating leadership exactly means. You will be given the steps needed to put it into practice.
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