We often think that change is out of our control, or something that happens to us rather than for or with us. But that’s not the case. While we may not always be able to control all of the circumstances surrounding change, we can control one very important thing: our actions.
What we choose to do when change hits can make a big difference in how change impacts our teams and organizations. By making the right calls, we can seize the opportunity to turn what could be a chaotic, unsettling disruptor into a powerful accelerator for growth.
With the right change management training, leaders can learn how to make these calls, discovering the best actions to take to effectively manage, adapt and lead through change so they can keep their teams moving forward.
What Is Change Management Training?
Change managing training is training that is specifically designed to teach leaders how understand, manage and adapt to change. By equipping leaders with the knowledge, skills and strategies they need to create a strong change management process, change management training positions leaders to make more effective choices that’ll enable them to more smoothly navigate change in their teams and organizations.
What Does Change Management Training Teach?
Typically, change management training teaches leaders how to:
· Comprehend Change
Learn what change is, how it shows up (i.e., the different kinds and phases of change) and why it’s advantageous for leaders to view change as an opportunity rather than merely a disruption
· Interpret Various Responses to Change
Get a better understanding of the different responses your team can have to change and how, while perfectly understandable, they can become barriers to success
· Prepare for Change
Once aware of a specific change happening in your organization, align with stakeholders on what the change entails and discover what next steps you need to take in order to prepare yourself and your team for what’s coming
· Spot and Overcome Resistance
Develop your ability to ascertain which team members show the tell-tale signs of resistance and to help them cope with the uncertainty, anxiety or discomfort so they can more easily adjust and adapt to the change
· Generate Buy-In
Find out how to properly articulate the purpose, benefits and process of the change to promote better understanding and support as well as how to shape your approach to accommodate your team’s current feelings about the change
· Communicate Through Change
Discover the most efficient ways to communicate the change to your team members, address their questions or concerns and guide them through the process of change
· Implement Change
Get an idea for the best practices to use in order to effectively facilitate and implement change as well as to address any potential regressions your team may experience along the way
· Measure & Improve
Figure out how to assess the change’s impact, evaluate how well your team’s performing and identify any areas your team could work on in order to more successfully implement change in the future
The Benefits of Change Management Training
Proper change management training promotes the development of strong communication, strategic thinking and on-the-spot decision-making skills while encouraging leaders to create more effective change habits.
In doing so, change management training shapes more adaptable change leaders capable of navigating complex change initiatives and leading teams through uncertainty with a sense of confidence and purpose.
This, ultimately, has the potential to drive major improvements for organizations:
- Increase team engagement & buy-in
- Enhance adaptability & resiliency
- Reduce disruptions & resistance to change
- Minimize teamwide anxiety & stress due to uncertainty
- Strengthen alignment with organizational/team goals
- Boost change initiative success rates
- Improved sustainability of changes
Why Change Management Training Is Necessary for Leaders
Today, it’s more imperative than ever for leaders to know how to effectively manage change.
Change is happening all around us at an unprecedented pace. As a result, it’s becoming harder and harder for modern leaders to know how to keep up. It’s become necessary for leaders to learn not just how to survive change but thrive within it.
Change management training equips leaders with the tools, skills and knowledge they need to do just that.
Empowered with strong change management skills and a reliable change management process, leaders can take more control over change and feel confident in their ability to lead themselves and their teams through uncertainty with intentionality and agility.
Where to Get Started (With CLS, Of Course)
If you’re looking to start change management training, but you don’t know where to look, your best bet is to go with a trustworthy provider. At The Center for Leadership Studies (CLS), we have over 50 years of experience teaching leaders how to adapt and manage change and our course, Situational Change Leadership™, will give you everything you need to become a better change leader.