LEADING CHANGE SUCCESSFULLY

Mamta Gautam, MD, MBA, FRCPC, CCPE

Objectives

To address: • the emotional and logical responses to

change • how to lead through uncertainty • how to build resiliency

THE EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO CHANGE

Change Management

• The People side of projects • Must consider and understand the

emotional effects • Key = Understand resistance and work

with it • Want to mitigate the negative

consequences – Decline in productivity – Increase in resistance

The Reality

• 1996 – Kotter, Leading Change. Stated that only 30% of change management programs succeed

• Led to thousands of books, articles, research on this

• 2008 – McKinsey survey: only one in three transformations succeed

Change happens through people

#1 reason major initiatives fail is because employees are fearful

and resistant to change

Preparing for change

Cannot be imposed Create a change-ready environment

Supporting change

Understanding and responding to the costs of change

Change and Transition

• Unless transition occurs, change will not be successful

• Change is external. It is the situational change (e.g., new site, new boss, new policy, new technology, new initiative).

• Transition is internal. It is the psychological process people experience to come to terms with the new situation. William Bridges - Transitions

What we know about change and transition

Leading Transition – Emotion “Hope is not the expectation that things will turn out well, it is the belief that there is meaning no matter how things turn out.” Vaclav Havel

Why is Change Difficult?

People don’t fear change typically as much as they fear loss. Change requires letting go of what was including your routine. It involves acknowledging what will end and what will be retained. 1.Endings: Letting go of what was 2.Neutral Zone: Finding clarity amid confusion 3.Beginnings: Managing the ambiguity of something new

Leading Transition

Endings New

Beginnings

Transition Zone

Denial

Anger

Frustration

Fear

Model by William Bridges

Fence riders

Dissenters Heal draggers

Being right is not enough

Leading Leaders

Understanding and Addressing Resistance

Reactions to change

• Tremendous sense of betrayal, feel let down. • Core issues: overwhelming anger and pain. • Also scared, disempowered, trapped,

reactive • Change = Loss. Stages of Grief

Resistance to change

• Change is rarely accepted readily • People are the gatekeepers of change • People naturally resist change • Must understand reason for resistance:

– Fear – Powerlessness – Inertia – Absence of self-interest

Ostriches

• Pretend change is not happening • Hope change will go away if ignore

it • Need to have active involvement,

and be put in charge of aspect of process, involve in problem solving

Fence Riders

• Cautious • Take long time to make up mind • Don’t want to make a mistake • Need reassurance and confidence

building, show successes

Dissenters

• Express honest differences in thinking • Offer logical reasons for opposition • Thinking is legitimate • Need to value their input and

incorporate it – may just make it a better solution

• Foster innovation

Heel Draggers

• Oppose change quietly through non-cooperation

• Nod heads “yes”, act “no” • Work is late, ask questions to delay • Need to allow open gripe sessions

Saboteurs

• Silent resistors, but more aggressive actions

• Create real obstacles - hold back information, plant bugs in data, lose data

• Also need permission to vent and criticize

Antagonists

• Vocal, loud, annoying • Unwilling to sway or compromise or

negotiate • Oppose change no matter how small,

simply because it is change • Need to be ignored, or let go

Anger and Resistance

• Anger is a normal part of dealing with loss

• Resistance implies energy – can work with it and redirect it

• Assess what part you may be playing in causing resistance

The goal is not to eliminate resistance.

We should expect and plan for it.

Can foster innovation.

Anticipate Resistance

• Anticipate points of resistance by groups or individuals

• Consider people or managers with history • Forecast how front line employees may react • Recall unique challenges from previous

assessments, and how they were successfully overcome

Understanding Resistance

• 90:10 Rule – have developed ways to cope, keep trying them, even though they block progress now. Want to change, but cannot

• Hidden dynamics create tension between 2 sets of equally sincere motivations

Conflict occurs when focus is on the solution, not needs

Addressing Resistance

• Encourage them to speak openly, and express thoughts and feelings about change

• Listen carefully • Treat resistance as a problem to solve,

not as a character flaw • Bring people together to discuss and

deal with perceived problems

LEADING THROUGH UNCERTAINTY

“Uncertainty…will leave some leaders lost in the fog. To avoid impulsive, uncoordinated, and ultimately ineffective responses, …must evaluate an unusually broad set of macroeconomic outcomes and strategic responses, and then act to make themselves more flexible, aware, and resilient.

Leading Through Uncertainty. McKinsey, December 2008

Uncertain times require leaders to Provide Direction • Communicate case and vision for

change • Describe impact on the work • Set goals and priorities • Clarify roles • Indicate targeted behaviors Provide Resources • Provide information and facts.

Transparency • Remove/overcome barriers • Make available necessary systems,

processes and policies • Remind re. resources available

Motivate • Act as a role model • Show confidence • Demonstrate core values • Inspire trust and energize • Listen. Show empathy • Be ready to guide • Define success • Reinforce behaviors Build Capability • Provide training, developmental

assignments and coaching

Four Tips 1. Be a bearer of hope. If you don’t believe in it, why should others? 2. Be realistic, but don’t listen to all the negativity. Share good news stories. 3. See your people as business partners. Assume that they’ve got some brains, seek their opinions and input. 4. Be servant leaders, not self-serving leaders. Lead at a higher level, accomplish worthwhile goals. Ken Blanchard, Leading at a Higher Level

The 3 A’s of leadership

• Affability • Availability • Ability

Active Participation • Empower individuals • Show regular trust and respect • Encourage innovation and thinking • Delegate. Do not micromanage • Be flexible • Allow others to make decisions • Encourage people to take risks, try, fail • Support them in the process

Communication

• Effective communication sets the stage • Needs to be consistent • No such thing as over-communicating • Use diverse set of styles (5 and 15) • Tell WIIFM • Ongoing, two-way process • Ask how people are doing, and listen

Perspective of the staff

What they hear depends on: • Career/educational plans • Situation at home • Experience with other changes at work • What they hear from others • How satisfied they were at work • Whether they trust the sender

Communicate clearly

• What is the change program, how it will improve business, benefit individuals

• Why the change is taking place • What the scope of change will be • Anticipate possible barriers to change • Success – criteria, measured, rewarded • Set SMART goals

Rewards and Recognitions

• Change can be long and difficult • Critical to celebrate milestones • Do not celebrate prematurely – dissipates

sense of urgency and need • Acknowledge progress – acknowledges hard

work, boosts morale, maintains momentum, minimizes scepticism

BUILDING RESILIENCY

THE FIVE C’s of RESILIENCE

RESILIENCE

CONTROL

COMMITMENT

CONNECTION CALMNESS

CARE FOR SELF

1. Control

• Create structures that allow for information and resource sharing

• Invite sharing of ideas • Loosen control to empower those with the

most expertise • Reframe as learning opportunity

Sphere of Control

“Grant me the ability to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

2. Commitment

• Commitment – to the goal – understand the Why – To your values – To the process – To the people

• Be positive • Be flexible • Be focused

Remind yourself

• What initially drew me to this work? • Values clarification exercise • Reflection and Journaling – how is my

work meaningful to me? • My best moment at work

3. Caring Connections

• “It’s lonely at the top”

• Holding Environment – how would you

create this?

Connections

• Regular phone calls • Lunches to check in • Add personal touch • Coach, mentor, support • When feeling overwhelmed or stuck, don’t

be afraid to reach out or ask for help • Community and social support

4. Calmness

• Recognize when you are not calm • Learn skills to manage during that

time

ABC’s of Calmness Allow It: ‘Vent Buddy’ Journaling – acknowledge and let go Four-letter technique – write at least 4 letters; do NOT send Burn it off: Exercise – long run, hard workout, punching bag Calm down: Deep Breathing Positivity and Gratitude Spirituality Yoga Relaxation Exercises – Visualization, active and passive

Mindfulness Meditation

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

• Many methods available • Spiritual relaxation, meditation • ‘Rehearse’ for the ‘performance’

5. Care for Self

• Take care of yourself first • Make time for yourself • Exercise • Nutrition

• Healthy sex life • Get your own family doctor • Indulge yourself • Sleep

LAUGH MORE OFTEN.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

• Stick to basic financial principles • Reduce non-deductible debt • Avoid “Christopher Columbus” Syndrome • Do not overextend financially

LET GO OF THE GUILT

• Acknowledge it; let go of it • RULE OF THUMB

DON’T JUST TRY.