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Effectively Managing Changes
By Dr. Jim Harris
Managing the people side of change can be more challenging than handling any market downturn or competitive pressure. And as we learned in January's "Leading Edge," effectively managing change means managing the people side of change–namely, employees' negative and positive responses to change.
Positive reactions, as indicated then, can be managed with a four-step process. But perhaps the single most difficult leadership challenge is to productively lead people who constantly, even vehemently, fight change. Here are some tips for leading people through the negative cycle of change.
Stage 1: Denial "This is a stupid idea. It will never work. We don't need to do this." We hear this far too often. When faced with employees who are in denial of the change, the first thing you should do is ask them simply, "What hurts?"
Change is a personal issue, not an intellectual issue. Everyone knows that at some time or another they will need to change, and that their job will need to change. Change therefore is more of a heart (personal) issue than a head (intellectual) issue. Do not waste too much energy on trying to convince people on the reasons for the change.
It's also important to understand that people don't fear change. They fear the losses associated with the change, such as power, prestige, familiarity, information, their friends, or, at worst, the job itself! Therefore, the first thing you should do when an employee is living in denial is to ask, "What really bothers you about this change?" You now are getting into the personal side of change. The messy part, sure, but the part that must be addressed.
After listening carefully, reconfirm the change. State that the change will occur, that we are not turning back, and that we must move forward together. It reinforces to the employee that denying the change will occur will not stop it.
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