“It’s easy to grin when your ship comes in, and you’ve got the stock market beat. But the man who’s worthwhile is the man who can smile when his shorts are too tight in the seat.” Judge Smails in Caddyshack
4. Exactly What You Mean And you need to mean what you say. The importance of integrity, clarity, and following through is critical during times of change. Mincing words, sugarcoating reality, or making unrealistic promises leaves room for misinterpretation at best, disaster at worst. Clearly define goals and expectations. If you say you’re going to do something, make sure it gets done.
5. I Need Help Empathic leadership opens the door to showing vulnerability as a leader, which can be an effective tool. You can admit you don’t know it all. Employees will see this as a sign that you are not only approachable but also confident in their ability to contribute. So whether you need help structuring a process or weighing costs and benefits, or just need more ideas, don’t be afraid to ask.
6. How Once the need for change has been identified and ideas for moving forward have materialized into objectives, it’s the leader’s job to set forth the clear vision for how to get the job done. This is the road map–the rules, the processes, the definition, and the deadlines. The more structured thinkers in your ranks will appreciate it.
7. It’s Going to Be OK “It’s easy to grin when your ship comes in, and you’ve got the stock market beat. But the man who’s worthwhile is the man who can smile when his shorts are too tight in the seat.”
–Judge Smails in Caddyshack
Leading an organization in times of relative calm is one thing; in times of change, everyone is watching you more closely, giving more importance to what you say and do. Be a calming voice and exude poise, and your team will see that you are confident in the changes taking place.
8. It Depends Change Management 101 says a third of the work force will be gung-ho about change, a third will be firmly against it, and the final third will be somewhere on the fence. Within each third will be a wide range of thinking preferences and reasons for their stances on change. One separate message per employee? Not necessary. But any given situation may require different strategies for communication.