Power of Persuasion: Helping Employees Embrace Change

In today’s ongoing tumultuous environment, both in for-profit and not-for-profit market space, change in organizations is exceeding the pace that most individuals can adapt to comfortably. As organizations merge, restructure their models of operations, downsize, disappear or are collapsed into other divisions, many experience a level of fear and resistance to the pending new work environment.

Unfortunately in these processes, little attention is paid to the building blocks that we all need to understand how we should function in our new environment or new organization. It all comes down to the concepts we know as: a) organizational “culture” and b) your own individual “values.”

Leadership needs to interact by clearly explaining the Vision and Values of the new organization along with the strategic goals. Without everyone understanding and adopting the ideals, the road to pursuing the stated results will be daunting.

Leadership must keep in mind that the process is not natural but can be accomplished.

First let us look at “Cause of Change.”  There are four basic categories of how and why change is happening:

• Informed Change
• Imposed Change
• Involved Change
• Initiated Change (usually by you or others collectively)

Of the four “I” change classifications; only the last one will have the least-to-no resistance. The other three definitely require leaders to take action before the organization can maximize its new potential. Talk to everyone, in person if possible, and ask them what they believe to be the reasons why the change is necessary. Be honest and open, but have everyone informed as to why.

Once all have a full understanding as to the “Cause of Change” you need to identify the key change components that will be required. There are five key phases to this proven approach to gain sustainable change:

• A new shared vision and values that each will be able to adopt and take ownership of
• Each person impacted needs to have the capacity to own this new change approach
• The pressure (reason) is strong enough to motivate one to change
• The how to steps are clear and ready for action implementation
• The rewards and incentives are clear and appropriate for the change process.

These five steps need to be engineered against the specific outcome goals.

Clearly, not everyone can make changes to pursue the new vision with the desired passion. In some cases it may be necessary for that individual to leave the organization. Leaders must make tough decisions, but the future of success depends on all focusing on the new direction with passion and commitment.

Comments are welcome as the game is changing. Today, people are repeatedly outliving organizations where, as many remember, organizations used to outlive people. How are you persuading your team to change?