Help Your Team Deal With Change
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Recently I had a conversation with a Twitter friend about a change his team was about to go through. Here’s how the advice and how you can help your team deal with change.

Change isn’t easy, but if you do it right, you can minimize the long-term pain your team will go through as a result of the change.

1) Explain why you’re making the change – Why are you making the change? Your team probably thought everything was going well. Take time to explain the WHY behind the change as completely as possible, leaving very little to the imagination. The better job you do of this now, the better things will be long term.

2) Explain the impact of the change – Does the change mean a schedule change? More work? Different work? Less work your team hates doing? A new manager or leader? Explain as much as you can so folks know the nuances of the change and can better handle what comes their way.

3) Explain how the change plays into the mission of the individual/team/department/company – As a manager, it’s critical you help your team connect the dots, ESPECIALLY in times of change.

4) Explain how your team will play into the change (and if it’s a very positive change for everyone, explain this) – In the absence of truth, folks will tell their own story. Show them how they personally will perform better because of this change. Many are pessimistic by nature, so take time to explain how they will be able to leverage their strengths even more in this new environment.

5) Take questions – Answer as many as you can, as honestly as you can. Take notes for the rest and get back to the team with answers. Don’t BS the answers. You don’t have to know everything, but you do need to field EVERY question, even if it’s uncomfortable, and then get the answers back to your WHOLE team.

6) Give them your commitment to making the change work – Even if you don’t like the change yourself, it’s important to be committed to making the change work for your team.

After the meeting is done, during your one-on-ones:

7) Ask for your associate’s individual commitment to making the change work – You want folks to commit to making the change work, not merely comply with it and then rebel against it later. Get commitment to at least trying to make things work.

How can YOU help your team deal with change?