116: Managing Change For Yourself and Your Team

08/18/20 • 18 min

Dealing with change is a process for everyone, but why is it that sometimes we adapt quickly while other times it's almost painful and yet other times, despite our best intentions, the change doesn’t stick? Understanding various elements of how change happens and factors that influence change can make the process easier for yourself and others.

In this episode, I walk through seven factors that can help you streamline the change journey and increase the chances of a smooth change process.

The full episode guide includes an overview of the seven areas to consider to help you manage changers more smoothly. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community or purchase the full guide at www.themodernmanager.com/shop.

Get the free mini-guide which contains an overview of the emotional change curve at www.themodernmanager.com/miniguides.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Read the related blog article: 7 Ways to Help Yourself and Others Manage Change

Key Takeaways:

Think of change as a journey, not an event. We experience change as a process of moving from point A to point B, from leaving what was and arriving at what will be.
The change journey is complete when you’ve arrived at your new normal.
We experience change more positively when we are in control and have chosen to change.
Invite people into the decision early or give people a choice to opt in to a change.
In order for us to gain something new, we must let go of something else. This experience of loss can be more dramatic than adapting to the new.
Consider who is gaining what and who is losing what for each change. Avoid blanket statements about change being good or bad in the same way for everyone involved.
The change journey is also an emotional journey. By understanding the emotional rollercoaster, we can put our experience in context.
When we lack the skills, knowledge, environment or motivation for change, the journey is almost impossible.
Changes often have implications beyond what is initially perceived. Some changes seem small but are quite big while other changes appear big but are actually small.
Dealing with change is easier when we are part of a group. Whenever possible, talk about the change experience and support each other to move forward.
We each experience change differently. Be patient with yourself and others who need more time to process.

Additional Resources:

Emotional change curve https://www.rmm-i.com/leading-change-understanding-the-faces-of-resistance/
Hugo - meeting agenda planning software within GoogleCalendar: https://www.hugo.team/
Meeting Sense - meeting agenda planning software within Outlook: http://www.meetingsense.com/

[email protected]

In this episode, I walk through seven factors that can help you streamline the change journey and increase the chances of a smooth change process.

Get the free mini-guide which contains an overview of the emotional change curve at www.themodernmanager.com/miniguides.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Read the related blog article: 7 Ways to Help Yourself and Others Manage Change

Key Takeaways:

Think of change as a journey, not an event. We experience change as a process of moving from point A to point B, from leaving what was and arriving at what will be.
The change journey is complete when you’ve arrived at your new normal.
We experience change more positively when we are in control and have chosen to change.
Invite people into the decision early or give people a choice to opt in to a change.
In order for us to gain something new, we must let go of something else. This experience of loss can be more dramatic than adapting to the new.
Consider who is gaining what and who is losing what for each change. Avoid blanket statements about change being good or bad in the same way for everyone involved.
The change journey is also an emotional journey. By understanding the emotional rollercoaster, we can put our experience in context.
When we lack the skills, knowledge, environment or motivation for change, the journey is almost impossible.
Changes often have implications beyond what is initially perceived. Some changes seem small but are quite big while other changes appear big but are actually small.
Dealing with change is easier when we are part of a group. Whenever possible, talk about the change experience and support each other to move forward.
We each experience change differently. Be patient with yourself and others who need more time to process.

Additional Resources:

Emotional change curve https://www.rmm-i.com/leading-change-understanding-the-faces-of-resistance/
Hugo - meeting agenda planning software within GoogleCalendar: https://www.hugo.team/
Meeting Sense - meeting agenda planning software within Outlook: http://www.meetingsense.com/

[email protected]

Previous Episode

115: Send the Right Signals to Your Team with Kit Krugman

You’re probably familiar with the old saying, “do as I say, not as I do.” Unfortunately, when it comes to building a healthy team culture, how you act as a manager is significantly more important than the mission, vision or values you espouse. We must ‘walk our talk’ to ensure our team members see and feel our values, in addition to hearing them.

In this episode, I speak with Kit Krugman. Kit is the Head of Organization + Culture Design at co:collective and the former President of WIN:Women in Innovation.

Kit and I talk about the difference between story-telling and story-doing, the power of simply asking, a culture of psychological safety, the idea of being on a quest, and so much more.

Become a member of The Modern Manager Community to be entered to win a free coaching call with Kit Krugman. In addition, you’ll be entered to win a collective mindset report worth $1,500. This report provides you with information on the quality of your current culture and mental lenses of the leaders and employees. You must be a member by September 1st to qualify for both drawings. To learn more about membership, go to www.themodernmanager.com/join.

Subscribe to the newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Have you worked for a rock star manager? Be part of the research for my next book - schedule your 45 minute interview at www.managerialgreatness.com

Read the related blog article: Are You Sending The Wrong Signals To Your Team?

Key Takeaways:

The story you tell about your company mission, vision and values is only as powerful as the actions that follow it. That is ‘story-doing’ instead of story-telling.
When actions don’t align with espoused values, people read the signals and follow what the leadership role models, incentives, and rewards.
Reflect on your own behaviors. Are you acting how you expect others to act?
Engage your team members in the conversation. What do they want to do? Ask for their feedback and input rather than dictating to them.
In order to get honest input and feedback, there must be psychological safety. To develop that trust, ask for critical feedback and take it without being defensive. If you respond negatively, you undermine that psychological safety.
Explore what makes you defensive? Get to know yourself and what triggers an emotional response.
Prepare to hear critical feedback and to accept it without a defensive or emotional response. Pause to let the emotion pass, say thank you and that you want time to consider it and/or ask for guidance on how to improve.
Set your company on a quest that is larger than your products, services, and goals. Establish a Northstar to guide your work that inspires people and opens up possibilities. Create a mission for your team that contributes to that quest.
Culture is always a competitive advantage. Culture is about engagement, productivity, attracting and retaining talent.
Managers must create a sense of community within their team, especially during this time of physical distancing. Over communicate, invest more time in relationship building individually and collectively.
When times are uncertain, people will create their own narrative if you don’t tell them the story. Create the narrative and live into it.

KEEP UP WITH KIT

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Next Episode

117: Take Care of Yourself and Others with Peter Gourri

It’s been months of living in a COVID-restricted world. Remote work, limited public life, rising tensions, and mounting uncertainty, has taken its toll. Many managers and their team members are experiencing non-stop excess stress, overwhelm or are nearing burnout. This isn’t healthy or sustainable.

In this episode, I speak with Peter Gourri. Peter is a qualified Executive & Business Mentor and Coach, non-practicing lawyer, and retired Royal Air Force officer with particular expertise in mentoring as well as leadership coaching and training. His clients range from individual executives and high-growth start-ups to multinational Fortune 500 corporations and others.

Peter and I talk about how to take care of yourself and your team members during this time of immense stress and uncertainty. We get into some healthy self care practices that are good even when there isn’t a pandemic, how to take advantage of this strange time, and more.

Become a member of The Modern Manager Community to get 50% off coaching with Peter. To learn more about membership, go to www.themodernmanager.com/join.

Subscribe to the newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Have you worked for a rock star manager? Be part of the research for my next book - schedule your 45 minute interview at www.managerialgreatness.com

Read the related blog article: Self Care Tips For Managers And Teams During COVID-19

Key Takeaways:

Because our mood heavily impacts how we see the world, when under excess stress, it's easy to misinterpret actions or written communications (e.g. email or chat). Before assuming the worst, consider the facts vs your interpretation of them.
Pause before responding when you feel emotionally triggered. Take a break and return to the situation with fresh eyes and a calm mind.
Give yourself and others a break. We’re all navigating the same complex, confusing and stressful situation.
Mark time on your calendar for self care, including time to prepare and eat meals, go for walks or exercise, etc.
Offer to switch a video meeting to audio only or a phone call.
Take vacation time even if there is nowhere to go. Discover a new park within driving distance or simply take a personal day at home to relax.
Encourage your team members to take breaks and time off. Role model this healthy behavior, too.
Take up a new hobby or find an activity that energizes you. Or design a project for yourself and work toward it.
Create a future vision for yourself and write a letter to yourself as if you’ve achieved that future state.
Spend time investing in your skills that will help you advance your career. Take an online course, etc.
Know that you will get through this and be stronger because of this experience, no matter how challenging it is.