3 Takeaways from #LeadersLead on Introducing Change

Friday was the second session of #LeadersLead which is an interactive, virtual sharing of leadership ideas. I have promoted it by asking people to step inside the Leadership Arena and help foster an environment where leaders can grow together.
 
Studies indicate that a significant portion of change initiatives fail due to employee resistance. In this post, I want to share some of the key takeaways on the topic Introducing Change.
 
FEAR
Attendees were asked to describe, in one word, the biggest reason for people resisting change. Fear was by far the most used word. Other words that were offered, such as unknown, skepticism, understanding and WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) all seemed to support the role fear can have on a person.
 
In last week’s blog, 4 Steps to Create Buy-in for Change, I highlighted the impact fear can have on creating buy-in and laid out some steps to combat that. Because of the fear, the biggest challenge the attendees identified to introducing change successfully was involving employees in the change process.
 
INVOLVE EMPLOYEES IN THE CHANGE PROCESS IS A CHALLENGE
I listed out what research has highlighted as the top 5 steps to successfully introduce change. Dr. John Kotter, a change management guru, created Kotter’s 8 Steps and they have evolved away from Change Management to Change Leadership. His approach provides more details than the 5 I have listed here.
 
Research consistently highlights the following as critical initial steps:

1. 1Establish a Clear and Compelling Vision
2. Build a Strong Change Management Team
3. Communicate Effectively and Openly
4. Involve Employees in the Change Process
5. Provide Necessary Training and Support

 
When asked which step is the most difficult? The overwhelming response was #4, Involving Employees in the Change Process. This resulted in a lot of discussion about having that shared vision with a greater understanding of the WHY associated with the change. Providing clarity in Roles and Responsibilities using a RACI tool and establishing a Charter up front, were highlighted as ways to help alleviate fears and answer questions early on.
 
When looking at data regarding where you focus your change efforts, you really focus on those who are your “watch and see” employees. They are not going to simply let it happen and that could be to succeed OR to fail. The focus needs to be on keeping them from dropping into the bottom 10% that will be against change no matter what. Ideally, you help them move to the other side of the fence and provide some help in the change effort.
 
ULTIMATELY, IT’S ALL ABOUT COMMUNICATION
I limit the #LeadersLead session to 30 minutes to respect participants time and the busy schedule we all face. However, for those who want to stick around and continue the discussion, I started an “After Party” to allow a deeper dive into the topic.
 
In the After Party discussion, we asked the question as to where Change Management efforts typically fail. Our poll matched up with what a survey of 300 managers concluded in that it comes down to execution. There was a great response in the chat that had everyone laughing but also nodding in agreement: “Of course management thinks their strategy is fine, they came up with it!”

The discussion culminated with a focus on Communication with has the biggest impact on execution and is fundamental to involving employees in the process. A couple of the great points about communication centered around the fallacy of what is defined as communication. An attendee highlighted that often “messaging” takes the place of communication, and your change management team can check a box saying the poster is up, the email has been sent, now let’s sit back and let the change begin.
 
Another attendee highlighted the importance of “comprehension” when talking about communication and that really hit home for me. It connects the greater why, the WIFFIM, and the shared vision. It also comes back to the previous point of messaging as well as an earlier discussion about “involving” is MUCH different than “telling.”
 
Ultimately, it was a great experience with a variety of perspectives. Leaders came from public, private, and corporate backgrounds sharing their experiences and asking questions. When leaders are willing to step inside the arena and not only look to introduce change but demonstrate a willingness to be changed, that is when Leaders Grow Together, Beyond Today.

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