The post change season
Christmas has gone for another year (only 350ish shopping days to go!), the New Year has been and gone and we have all but discarded our resolutions (well some may have).The festive season as my previous blog goes into is a time of high octane, high emotion and for most a happy time with family.Once that feeling wanes, the nights still feel far too long, the weather is chilly and it's back to the grindstone for some more good old hard work.
Often this return to work in the new year brings with it a feeling of lethargy and difficulty in getting going, some of that could be the short days and overdoing it a little over Christmas.It could also be wondering what's going to happen this year in the business, because change, especially in major corporates, is an almost permanent fixture.
Change in the big businesses and some small, is not always driven internally often it comes from an external source.That knowledge does not make the facilitation of change any easier for the people that are either trying to make the changes or are affected by the changes.One thing that is sure is that approaches to change are not going to change.
Faced with this scenario, what can the individual or team do to make the change flow and become easier and become effective quicker.Here are a few hints and tips that might help you address the changes that are being implemented.
1. Find out the reason for the change, understand what it's trying to do and then consider where you fit into the process.
2. Work out what it means to you, however you need to do that.If you can't work it out then ask.
3. Let people know your opinion, after all if you're not sure or you think they know what you want, they won't unless you tell them
4. Embrace the changes that are there, you can benefit and you can change.
Change is never wrought to irritate or annoy you, although it may seem like that at the time.It's done with the best intentions for an organisation or in some cases it's driven to effect change that is necessary to improve performance or protect people.In the first instance you may have been consulted, if you were not then ask the reasons.You may not havew the right to know, but it's good to know so you can consider how to adapt.In the latter, your reticence or disagreement over the change, helps no-one as the people that want the change will drive it anyway.
As human beings we often say we 'love change' especially if we're asked by senior management; that is rarely true but we feel that we should say what they want to hear.That drives the view that change is well understood and everyone is getting on with it.That leads, in some cases, to a view that the organisation can absorb so much more change and the people cope really well.In reality what happens is motivation is affected, performance drops, communication disappears and people work in their own silos.It occurs to me that this is not a good scenario and yet when you're asked again, you say the same thing and the cycle starts all over again.
Now the downside from that is that people become disillusioned and often excise that the grass is really greener on the other side of the fence.In some cases that may even be true but in others they find the fire is much hotter than the frying pan!
All that said, is there actually a fix for this?Well that depends on several things
1. The passage of information within the organisation and the teams
2. The people understanding what exactly is required of them
3. The objectives being clear for all to understand and follow
4. The commitment, through understanding to get the job done
5. The motivation to change!
All of these things come together to form the success that change seeks.Change teams cannot succeed won't the commitment, understanding and will of those who need to change.Without it there will be much friction, stress and possibly conflict, but make no mistake the organisation will win, it won't be pretty but win they will.Whether their win represents success would have to be seen.
Just think though, your understanding is good, you understand the objectives, your commitment and motivation are high, you are the success that they seek.Enjoy it and make it happen.