There are very few things that can be as disruptive and damaging to a team as change. Without the proper direction or guidance in times of change, teams can easily feel lost and unsure of how to move forward, which can keep their entire organization from doing so, too. But the right example set by a leader can make all the difference in creating resilient teams prepared to handle any change that comes their way.
How Change Affects Teams
No matter the type—internal or external, expected or unexpected—change is guaranteed to have an impact on your team. Whether that impact is a positive one depends entirely on your team’s preparedness for change. If they don’t have some level of familiarity with change management, teams will be left completely unprepared and ill-equipped to handle change when it hits. This means they’re likely to be hit hard, leaving them to struggle with:
· Higher levels of stress
Facing uncertainty can be stressful in and of itself, but add scarce resources, limited time, unpredictable schedules and increased workloads to the mix and the stress from change can quickly become unmanageable. Work–life balance can practically become non-existent, leaving teams feeling drained and burned out.
· Decreased productivity
Lacking a framework for working through change leaves teams unsure of what to do or how to move forward. If they don’t know how to manage their feelings of overwhelm, their loss of focus or their struggle to balance existing responsibilities with their change-related tasks, their performance is bound to suffer.
· Increased potential for conflict
With a more tense and chaotic work environment and a team who’ve become stretched thin, issues are bound to arise. As tensions grow, communication can easily fall to the wayside and what previously would have been simple misunderstandings may escalate into full-blown crises.
· Stronger resistance
Straying from their usual routine may lead teams to question their job security, their team’s direction and their organization’s overall stability. Without a change leader to inspire confidence, teams may feel insecure and disoriented, becoming unwilling to embrace or adapt to change.
· Lowered morale and trust in leadership
If teams can’t trust that their leaders will, at the very least, model effective change management, they can’t trust them at all. Teams that grow skeptical of their leadership’s capabilities and authority can swiftly lose motivation and become disengaged, causing morale to nosedive.
The good news is these problems are completely avoidable. To keep challenges like these from interrupting their workflow, teams can learn to develop their change management skills by watching and mimicking their leader’s behavior.
Effective Change Management Starts With Leaders
For modern workforces, effective change management is a necessary skill to master. One of the best ways for leaders to teach their teams this vital skill is to demonstrate it themselves.
Employees tend to look to their leaders for signals on how to act, especially in times of uncertainty. If they see their leaders responding to change with confidence and purpose, they’re likely to do the same.
By setting an example with their own behavior, leaders can inspire strong change management in not only their own team but their entire organization, resulting in a more resilient and capable workforce.
How to Lead by Example
Leaders can set a good example for their team by modeling effective change management behaviors, such as:
- Agility
- Transparency
- Decisiveness
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Resourcefulness
- Positivity
- Resiliency
When attempting to demonstrate these behaviors, keep these tips in mind:
Tip #1: Be Open
Remain open minded when it comes to change. When speaking to your team about change, don’t paint it as a barrier or a challenge but as a potential path to new growth and success. Seeing a leader fully embrace change can make the concept seem much less precarious and frightening to employees.
Tip #2: Be Flexible
Adaptability is the key to effective change management, so show your team that you’re willing and able to adjust your approach to accommodate change. By displaying a strong sense of agility in the face of change, you’re signaling to your team that it’s not only safe to adapt to change, it’s best practice.
Tip #3: Be Proactive
Change doesn’t have to be something that happens to us, but rather something that we have the power to shape. Take initiative and play an active role in the change process to empower your team to participate and engage with change themselves. Let them know that, like you, they have a say in how change plays out.
Tip #4: Be Communicative
Remain committed to being outwardly vocal about change as it’s happening. Lead transparent conversations about what the change is, what implementing it will look like and so on. Communicating openly and sharing your own ideas, questions and concerns about the change can encourage your team to feel more comfortable doing the same.
Tip #5: Be Calm
When change hits, even if it’s unexpected, try your best to maintain your composure. Remember, a positive attitude can be infectious. If your team witnesses you managing change with a level-head and a steady hand, they’re more likely to follow suit, staying focused and calm when facing change themselves.
Change leaders are the cornerstone of every successful change initiative. By showcasing their own change management behaviors, leaders can lay the groundwork for their teams to develop more effective responses to change themselves.
Set a Good Example With CLS
Learn how to set the right precedent for managing change with our course, Situational Change Leadership™. You’ll discover the tips and tricks you need to become an effective change leader prepared to demonstrate expert change management practices for your team.