When big changes strike, leaders must be first to change management.
There’s change, and there’s change. But whether it’s a planned change your compensation plan or being unexpectedly bought out by a competitor, all change brings the same thing:
Uncertainty.
And uncertainty is the most corrosive force facing a person or an organization. Other concerns, like fierce competition, the emergence of new technologies, big market shifts, and unfriendly regulation, are all evident challenges that people can assess, understand, and react to. But uncertainty isn’t about something you can see: It’s about the endless possibilities - the “what ifs” that remain unknown - because uncertainty is mostly about the future.
Since the future is unknowable, you can see why uncertainty is so pernicious.
The good news is that while it’s unpleasant, it’s not unmanageable. Especially if there’s a good leader on the spot.
What Leaders Must Do When Uncertainty Strikes
Helping others navigate change is a primary job of a leader. So there are some proven and effective techniques in change management that every leader must do first, fast, and frequently when big changes strike.
#1 “It’s going to be okay.”
First, leaders must be the loudest voice their people hear, saying, “It’s going to be okay.” Don’t start talking about contingencies and plans and actions and moves yet. Simply reassure. Share your own sense of self-certainty. If you believe your organization is capable of navigating the change, say so. You don’t have to explain how yet. You simply have to convey that “you will figure it out, just like you have in the past.” Remind people they’re versatile; they have adapted before to many things. In fact, most of us are in the business of change, helping clients deal with uncertainty - both planned and unexpected. So when change strikes, what people need first isn’t a plan: They need an expression of confidence by their leader that whatever happens, it’s going to be okay.
#2: “We have a plan.”
After some solid reassurance, people’s sense of shock and panic will recede (even if it does not fade altogether). That’s the point at which their minds will be receptive to ideas of how to deal with the changes. Now is when leaders can communicate the contours of their plan. “We have a plan” reinforces the belief that the leader is actively addressing the change, even if the details are only lightly communicated. It’s also helpful to counteract the desire to “go back” that many people feel when a change occurs. When leaders see them “bargaining” to maintain “some of the old ways” their best bet is to communicate again (and again) that there is a plan for moving forward — and when ready, followers can begin to implement the plan. But not until they feel sufficiently reassured and able to set aside the lingering desire to resist the change.
#3: “Here’s how to do it”
The third stage of helping people navigate change is to teach them what steps to take to implement the plan for moving forward. This can come in the form of new procedures, knowledge, and training. But it’s important that this doesn’t happen in the wrong order. Many leaders make the mistake of showing up and telling people what to do right away. They mistakenly skip (or don’t believe it’s necessary) the reassurance and resistance-dealing phases. People will never be open to trying new actions if they’re still in denial, or secretly planning ways to get around the change, so training them on “how to do it” too early will usually fail. At worst, it can even lead to disillusionment because any new actions they try will “appear to fail” when in reality, they were sabotaged by being introduced at the wrong phase of the process. So while it’s critical to provide actionable information and skills to give people the competence to handle new circumstances, any training and application must wait until they have regained some confidence and given up hopes that the changes will still go away.
#4: “Great work! Keep Going!”
The final power move for leaders dealing with uncertainty is to offer frequent and authentic recognition of people’s efforts and progress - even if imperfect. Reinforcement is a glue that helps people sustain their efforts while they’re still uncomfortable or imperfectly adapting. Leaders must actively recognize and express gratitude for efforts - great and small - by people who trusted their reassurance, accepted their plan, and put in the work to adapt. Intentionally using rewards, public recognition, and personal expressions of appreciation also validate the leader’s promises and increase trust: The next time uncertainty strikes, people will remember that the leader’s reassurances, plan, and support not only worked - it led to public recognition of their ability to navigate change.
Change Management by Changing Management
Many years ago, one of my clients said something I’ll never forget when it comes to handling uncertainty.
“Most people think that change management is about helping people adapt what they currently know how to do to new circumstances, but that’s really not that important. Often times what they know how to do doesn’t remotely apply to the new situation,” he said.
“At that point, the only way to navigate change management is to change management.”
At first, I thought he meant to change the managers in charge by replacing them. But now, years later, I believe what he meant was much deeper: In normal times, managers manage by planning, implementing, and maintaining a process. They “manage” by lather, rinse, and repeat some techniques that work — in normal times.
But when uncertainty strikes, you have to change management, meaning that leaders have to step out of the routine approach of showing people a process and making sure they follow it. Changing management for a leader means adopting an entirely different approach to the situation: dealing with the emotional change curve that people must complete, often at their own pace, before they can hear, learn and implement a new process that can later be managed by managers in the future.
During times of big uncertainty, leaders need to stop doing what they’ve always done and change their management of the situation, paying more attention to the human needs of their people. By changing from “following the plan” to making four power moves to help people navigate their emotions, leaders can make all the difference between people who make the change and those who cannot.
If you’re dealing with big changes today, perhaps it’s time to stop trying to control the process and lead your people instead.
— M
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