Leading Change in Organizations
How do you bring a group through needed change?
(Julianne’s guidelines for small departments & teams)
A. Be an EDUCATOR of change - by holding regular team meetings to educate the group re:
Why is change needed? (as an Educator, offer facts and trends, and ASK the team: “what do these facts and trends mean to you? What are they telling us about why we should change?”)
What needs to change? (ASK the group…)
How do we implement changes? (ASK the group…)
KEY: involve everyone before, during and after the meetings. Encourage their participation by asking for their ideas. Be patient with the group process and as you keep educating, others will step up.
B. Identify “leaders” who have influence because others listen to them and follow them –
Hold individual meetings with those “leaders”.
Explain your factual observations of how others follow them – both positively and negatively – and their impacts on the team.
Ask them for their observations of the impacts they have on others.
Coach them on how to have a positive influence on the team as a “change agent”
C. Confirm agreements, communicate dates for upcoming changes and implement them as planned
Ensure everyone knows what is changing, when, why, how and the ways each one is responsible.
Delegate as much as possible to share the responsibility for change.
D. Celebrate team progress toward change
ASK the team what types of rewards they would like and would find motivating to them.
First, be clear and tell them the budget constraints and $$ amounts to be used for rewards.
Celebrate, reward and praise specific progress and “wins” together as a team.
E. Hold regular “update” meetings, with everyone if possible, to –
Keep communicating openly and regularly
Assess needs for continued change – by asking the team for their assessment and updates
Assess new needs for skills training, coordination, etc.