Leadership During Transitions

Leadership During Transitions

All changes begin with an ending. Something is ending and something new is beginning. Organizations and individuals move from endings into beginnings at different rates. This movement, or the space in between endings and beginnings, is sometimes called the “neutral zone” or the “transition space”1. The facts of a change rarely trouble people. People have no trouble understanding that something has ended and something new has begun. It is the process and the pace of psychologically moving from the old to the new that can be challenging both in the organizational sense and in the individual sense.

When an organization goes through any kind of significant change, management plays a key role in the overall success of the initiative. The organization and the individuals that comprise it will go through the change process at different paces. This is especially true of the leaders in the organization, who oftentimes have known about the impending change much longer than everyone else. How leaders behave during the first few transition months is crucial in the overall success of the project. Here are some tips to help you navigate this challenging time:

Remember you are in a different place than most of your constituents. Oftentimes as a leader you have had longer to assimilate the change that has just been announced. It also affects you differently, your role may change less or more but usually you have more control than most other people. Keep that in mind as you walk the hallways and talk with your employees. Being out of control is a frightening feeling for most folks and one that is often felt right after a big change is announced. Anything you can do to help them get back to feeling in control as early as possible will set everyone up for success. Don’t forget that people move through change at different paces. Within reason, give people a chance to catch up.

If you are a constinuent, someone on the receiving end of a change, remember that your leaders have been working with this change longer than you. That means they may forget where you are. A tactful reminder may help, or well placed questions can remind them quite easily. Give yourself a break. During times of great change you may not be able to be as productive. Work with your manager to redefine your workload in the short term. Don't forget that everyone else is in the same situation. Perhaps some departmental brainstorming can help solve everyone's productivity issues.
Understand the role the culture plays in this change. If you have an entrepreneurial culture where speed is rewarded and new ideas are the order of the day, don’t expect to implement processes and procedures without some issues. The same is true for a mature, regulated business who now decides that innovation is a key requirement for success. How business gets done, what departments work well with other departments, how individuals are rewarded and promoted are some but not all of the factors that will impact your planned changes. Being aware of them allows you to plan for how you will work through any issues that arise.
Your visibility is exceptionally important during any large-scale change but even a small change should prompt you to get out of your seat and walk the halls. Leaders who hide in their offices during changes either because they don’t want to be a ‘distraction’ or because they don’t think the change warrants a change in their behavior won’t be leaders for very long. Afraid of what you might hear? Not interested in hearing the ‘bellyaching’ that is going on? Those are perfect reasons to talk to your employees. They will give you insights into what is working and what isn’t that you won’t hear from anyone else. These can be invaluable for course corrections as you move toward success.

If you are a constituent and your leaders aren't being visible you may want to seek some answers through the leaders you do see - your supervisor, manager or the head of the department or division. Remember that lack of visibility is rarely intentional but rather an uninformed oversight.
Make sure you aren’t alone in your leadership behavior. Leadership is not just the person in charge or the person who leads the project team. Leadership is possible at all levels from all employees. During an organizational change of some kind, the leadership shown by those who manage others will be critical and essential. Middle management may get a bad rap sometimes, but they are your key to success. And they are, more than anyone else, stuck in the middle during big corporate initiatives. Understanding that and supporting their efforts will go a long way in helping them and helping the company succeed.
Talk about successes early and often. Not everyone will know when successes occur. Use them as teaching points to reinforce the changes that are being made. You can use failures the same way but tread carefully and with compassion. Success is important to share with everyone, not just those in the immediate vicinity. Don’t forget your field sales forces (if you have them), your remote locations (remote from the corporate headquarters but not for them) and your satellite offices. If your change affected official business partners in some way, sharing success (that is also a success for them) can also be beneficial.

In today’s business environment the cycle of Endings, Transitions, and Beginnings2 is never ending. Sometimes it is hard to determine where one change is before another comes to take its place. By focusing on your constituents – your employees – and endeavoring to see the changes planned from their point of view you will be able to help them navigate their transitions successfully. The root of all successful changes is people, focusing on them and how they are faring makes good business sense and will positively affect your bottom line.

1Bridges, William, Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change 1991:Perseus Books

2Ibid

Click here to return to Banks Consulting! Articles

Click here to return to Banks Consulting! Website