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.
