The Change Monster

02 oktober 2020

Ahhhh change. We know it’s inevitable but that doesn’t make us like it.

That’s because change exposes our human brains to a roller coaster of psychological reactions; From confusion to anger to depression.. It’s no wonder many of us tend to freak out. 

But change isn’t all that terrible either. Humans and companies alike need it to evolve, become more efficient and thrive along the way, too.

Adapt or die. You know?

When companies try to embrace change, it’s often referred to as ‘Change Management’. They’ll hire a fancy management guru or demand that everyone reads an enlightened book. Then they’ll invest in costly restructuring initiatives that try to balance market conditions, shifting consumer demands, ever-changing technologies and a whole host of other things.

So far so good, right?

Well, all of the above still doesn’t deal with the fact that people.. don’t like change.

Have you ever tried telling someone that has been doing things a certain way for a long time “you have to do it differently”? 

Yeah.

So what to do when you’re trying to implement an organizational shift and don’t want an uprising the size of the French Revolution on your hands?

We’ve collected some tips to save you from premature decapitation:

1. Try to communicate what it would mean NOT to embrace change. When your people understand that NOT changing may pose an even greater threat, they might open up to the idea more easily. 
2.  Involve your team in decision making where possible. Empowered people feel more in control and will have less tendency to freak out. 
3. Minimize uncertainty wherever possible. Communicate, communicate, communicate. And then some. 
4. Celebrate your successes in moving towards the goal. Acknowledging that your team’s efforts are working will keep them engaged in the long run. 
5. Keep explaining the reasons to change. Over and over. Your team will forget, at times, and it is up to you to keep them motivated. 
6. Be as transparent as you possibly can. An information vacuum feeds the Change Monster like no other. Spare yourself the trouble and share all that you can. 

Finally, keep in mind that change feels less scary when you feel like you’re the one driving it. The same goes for your people, too.

Now that you’re armed with the right tools we salute you and hope you’ll embrace the monster. Adapt or die, remember?

You got this.