March 2013

Some people thrive on it, most avoid it, some dread it, but change in the workplace is inevitable. It represents a giant opportunity to strengthen teams and make business run more effectively, but this opportunity is seldom realized because managing through change is uncertain, exhausting work.

A trip to the Business section at your local bookstore (yes, they still exist) or Googling “change management” will equip you with endless tips on effective listening, good communication, patience, and a variety of other touchy-feely techniques that will leave you with teams that smile to your face, then continue to seize-up with fear once you’ve left the room.  The reason for this is pretty simple: while you’ve likely built solid relationships with your team and they trust that you’ll do your best to help them through the change at hand, they are no longer in control of the situation. And for most people, losing control is scary.

Next time you’re leading a team through change –or dealing with change yourself, for that matter – give this technique a try. Take a deep breath, and then divide the change process into small, tangible, manageable steps. Give your team members a series of things they can control, and make them active participants in the process. No matter how minor these steps seem relative to the end result, empowering people during a time of uncertainty will automatically change attitudes, and might even make them welcome the process.

OK that might be pushing it. But wouldn’t you feel better about entering a strange, dark room if at least you had a plan for finding the light switch?

PayReel’s clients, who are some of the biggest companies in the world, are constantly immersed in the chaos of producing multimedia content or executing live events. PayReel makes sure they have the right contractors at the right time in the right place, and that everyone gets paid properly. And, most importantly, they handle every last detail perfectly while making sure their clients think nothing of it. Relax. We got it.

The top executives of several major breweries had just finished a panel discussion at an industry conference. They decided to head over to the hotel lounge for some refreshments.

The top executive from Corona sits down at the bar and says to the bartender, “I would like a tall glass of the world’s best beer, a Corona.”

The leader from Anheuser-Busch says, “Bring me a frosty mug filled with the ‘King of Beers’…a Budweiser.”

Not to be out done, the president of Coors proudly says, “I’d like the only beer made with pure Rocky Mountain spring water.  Please fetch me a Coors.”

The CEO from Guinness leans on the bar and says, “Gimme a Coke.” The other leaders are taken aback and ask him the obvious question, “Why didn’t you order a Guinness?” He replies, “Well, I figure if you guys aren’t drinking beer, neither will I.”

As leaders, a big part of our job is to instill a sense of pride in our teams. To help our people assign a higher purpose to their work. Is there a more powerful long-term motivator than pride? Yet, left unchecked, is anything more dangerous? Just ask the good folks at Blackberry, Kodak, Hostess, etc.

Ours is the challenge of balancing justifiable pride and celebration with certain knowledge that your company’s logo is stapled to a dartboard in somebody’s break room.

Harnessing the power of pride is not complicated…Just stay focused, stay curious, and most importantly, stay thirsty my friends!

PayReel’s clients, who are some of the biggest companies in the world, are constantly immersed in the chaos of producing multimedia content or executing live events. PayReel makes sure they have the right contractors at the right time in the right place, and that everyone gets paid properly. And, most importantly, they handle every last detail perfectly while making sure their clients think nothing of it. Relax. We got it.