Akey job for any leader is to be able to talk about change. This is true for a leader at any level — from C-Suite executives to front line supervisors. It can be hard to do and, granted, some leaders are more comfortable than others doing it, but it’s part of the role and you can’t get away from it. The fact is that the more effectively a leader can engage in conversations about what is changing, the more successful that change effort will be. But what goes into talking about change? What are the important elements that need to be in your messaging?
First and last, know your audience. Do your homework: Who are the people you want to talk with (not at)? Is this the first time you’re talking with them? Do they know you and trust you? Do you understand how they will be affected by the change? Will they perceive this change as a “gain” or a “loss” from their perspective, regardless of how worthy the change goal is for the organization writ large? What will be the day-to-day impact of this change on their work? Their job? Their team? These are the questions on their minds when you come to talk about what is changing, so prepare, prepare! Which brings me to…
What is changing and why? Can you in the simplest terms explain what will be different as a result of the change? Remember: Your audience is hearing about this change conceivably for the first time, and they likely won’t “see” what you see. So, can you spell things out in a way that means something to them? For example, if you plan to use terms like “more strategic,” “increase efficiency,” “promote innovation,” or “better position us for the future,” most people won’t know what that will mean for them. If there is going to be a new business process, a new IT solution, a re-org, spell out in plain language what people can expect to “see” that is different from how things are today. Be as concrete and specific as you can, because their big question out of the gate will be…
What will happen to me? Most of us aren’t wired to be happy about change because change brings uncertainty. It is literally part of the human condition, which is why change can be hard. When we humans encounter change, we tend to ask, “Will this hurt or help me?” and often we shift back and forth along a continuum of being OK and not being OK with what is going on. When you talk about the change, remember there are two things you are communicating: What you want people to know about it (the information) + how you want people to feel about the information you are sharing (that’s the messaging). It’s about tone and tenor. You don’t want to sugarcoat or not be straightforward, but bring awareness to how you are showing up, your nonverbals, your word choice, your ability to “see” how others might see this change. As a change leader, there is wisdom in knowing that this is the starting place for most people when you come to them to talk. This is when being good at listening demonstrates what a great communicator you are.
When will this change occur? Change is a process — it isn’t about flipping a switch, and 99% of the time, it isn’t about one change — it usually involves changes that need to occur before, during, and following the actual implementation. Just the fact that you are talking about the change helps create change. This is, as they say, a journey, and often there isn’t a nice tidy answer for “when.” Be honest with people: Share what you can about what you know regarding the timeline, but also explain that the change path itself can and typically does alter and that you will continue to talk with them every step of the way about what they can expect and when.
What is the goal again? Always, always iterate what the vision for this change is — literally, what we are trying to get done here? What are the benefits we hope to achieve? Don’t assume that people whose day-to-day doesn’t necessarily involve being part of the planning and implementation of the change will remember what you and your organization are striving toward, why it’s important, what it will mean to the people who work there and the people whom they serve. They need to hear from you again and again what the “higher order” of this effort is. They need to be inspired.
What do you want from me? There is one thing that change always demands, and that’s learning. Even those who don’t have a specific role in the change process but will be affected by the change you implement — including your customers by the way — will experience a learning curve during and as a result of the change. That can be a challenge all on its own. Let people know what you think they will need to learn and why, what actions you will take to support the learning process, and perhaps most profoundly — how you yourself as their leader will model the learning you expect from them.
Practice, practice, practice … Need I say more? The more you learn about yourself as a leader and strive to “show up” as part of the change process, the greater the payoff for your organization, for your mission, and for you as a human.
Nina is the Change Management Practice Lead at the consulting firm LMI where she also serves as a Senior OCM Consultant supporting government clients in the planning and implementation of a wide variety of change efforts. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University Fellows in Change Management Program and the Change Management Advanced Practitioners (CMAP) Certification Program at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, and is ProSci trained. She holds an MS in Organization Development and an MA in Communications.
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