Disruptive force of Change

Disruptive Force of Change

Change is right up there with death and taxes, meaning, it is going to happen and nothing you do is going to alter that fact. I-freaking-hate-change! It is disruptive, unknown, something new again … I just got comfortable doing it this way, and now they darn change everything around, Why-o-Why? Us homosapions like to be in control when we’re in control, we have power and are the rulers of our environment which in turn gives us security.

Load shedding (The process of disconnecting the electric current on certain lines when the demand becomes more significant than the supply.)

Oooh, I can feel the love in the air when this happens, but it is a perfect example when we lose power over our environment (pun intended). We are not in control, an external authority has initiated a disruptive change that compromises our secure environment, and that takes away our power. It sucks big time!

Wait, have you ever thought how employees feel when things change? The ‘other’ Michael Jackson says that the rapid pace in which business is moving today we can “expect to be 44 times busier”, 44 times more busy, I can’t even cope now! Are your most valuable assets dealing? Are your staff handling disruptive change as efficiently as you think? Research shows that about 60% of employees brace negatively to change, thus resulting in loss of production, security, learning curve and there is so much more.

I’ll like to share with you 3 points I used after my company went through some significant disruptive change in a concise period.

1. Nobody wants to be treated like a mushroom

Silence breeds unwanted chatter, low morale and general feelings of distrust. This is not what you want creeping around the hallways of your organisation. Be open and upfront on the current developments during the process of change. Share both the positives and negatives that the company foresees is going to happen, It’s better to know what is coming than guess what is going to happen.

2. Ask, and you shall receive

I’ve realised that if I want my team to accept a new concept I merely need to ask them how best to do it. Employee’s value recognition higher than a bonus, (83% as per a popular survey) it is just part of our human make-up, we want others to know, and meaningful recognition has no monetary value. Leadership is one of the first steps towards change, it is better to lead with others insight than to force with your ideas.

3. Implement change like load shedding … in stages

Disruptive change is usually easily received when it is introduced in bite-sized chunks and a giant serving of truth. Most changes can be broken down into phases that can be reviewed and adjusted along the way. Collaboration is vital, so that is why it is vital to involve employees to test the change since it impacts them the most before it is fully embedded. It is a good way to ensure that more people ‘buy in’ to what is happening and why.

Business today is a constant change, and if you are not adapting you will not be around in the next couple of years as entity companies adopt strategies to cope with change and stay ahead of the competition and technological advances. Now include your staff in those strategies, and your transitions will be much smoother.