What is your team's response when you tell them, "There are changes coming down the pike"? Is there excitement in the air, a buzz of optimism with the new change, or is there fear in the eyes of your team-- an audible groaning? As the manager or supervisor how do you manage change in your department?
Corporate culture, also known as organizational culture, can be defined as "the values and behaviors that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization." Boiled down, it is the way a company's people think, feel, and act as it relates to how work gets done. Corporate culture is a powerful force and will beat out change every time. Is the culture in your area for or against change?
When trying to assess your team's response to change, the first order of business is to get rid of the notion that there is a perfect culture. What is important is identifying those characteristics that you want to develop in your people and have permeate throughout your department culture so that regardless of who gets promoted, leaves, or stays, the culture inspires the best out of everyone. The following is a short list of characteristics supportive and characteristics that are barriers to change. Which characteristics most resonate with how your team manages change?
|
Obstacles to Change |
Culture that Supports Change |
|
Fear & Distrust |
Trust |
|
Concern with short-term gain & bottom line |
Long-term strategic business focus |
|
Hierarchical structure with top down decision making |
Employee Empowered to make decisions |
|
Poor communication |
Open and honest communication |
|
Can't let go of the past |
Supports vision of the future of the department |
|
Negative attitude |
Positive attitude |
|
Administration talks the talk, but doesn't follow through |
Administration leads by example |
If you find that many of the characteristics you identify with fall in the left column there is no time like the present to address the issues hindering your team. An important reminder for everyone involved in change is that it takes time. It is not an overnight success. You will have wins, and just when you think things have turned for the better with morale something will happen that makes it feel like you are back at square one. However, trust in the process, and note the differences in how long the setback had people acting out, who stepped up and was a voice for positivity; notice the small changes. Ultimately it is how people react to the delays and old behavior that gives you insight how change is seeping through and taking hold.
It is critical to recognize that you must have buy in of the people to implement change. How?
- Reward and recognition are key. This does not have to be financial in nature, but having formal recognition programs can aid in making a positive transition. We forget that words of encouragement and "atta persons" are free and go a long way in making people feel that they are contributing in making a difference.
- Having change agents who are supporters. They can play a critical role in being positive conveyers of change. This can include frontline staff as well as the formal leaders; anyone who is a leader within their circle of influence.
- Walk the Talk. Research, and good ol' common sense, shows that the single most important element to the success of changing an organization's culture is in leadership modeling the behavior it expects of its employees. Harnessing the influence you possess and using it to model the behavior you want to see gives people encouragement.
- Create a Vision Statement. This is a way to advertise to your customers and within your department who you are and what you stand for.
- Repetition is key. To make changes, it is of utmost importance to keep communicating the message. It is through time, commitment, and witnessing of behavioral change that culture will make the shift.
Whether you are a new supervisor or manager, or a seasoned veteran, change is the norm in the workplace. What you may have inherited or what has slowly seeped into your workplace culture can be changed if you feel there is room for improvement. Through your perseverance will change occur and a smidgen of patience.
Recommended Reading Material and Workshops
BUILDING A CLIMATE OF TRUST
This workshop is intended for those who lead others (supervisors, managers, etc.) and deals with creating a trusting workplace environment. Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Recognize the leader's role in developing a climate of trust.
- Identify their negative assumptions and the impact their assumption have on the behavior of their employees.
- Identify the steps involved in the Cycle of Mistrust.
- Develop strategies to build trust in the workplace.
Date & Time
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
FACING THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGE
Change is something that we face and have to face up to everyday! Through this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Interpret the dynamics of the change process.
- Articulate feelings associated with the change process.
- Demonstrate appropriate behaviors during change.
- Develop strategies to manage stress during times of change.
Date(s) & Time(s)
Friday, March 28, 2014 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Friday, May 02, 2014 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
MANAGING CHANGE
Change is inevitable, normal and necessary. Workplace changes allow us to meet new opportunities and challenges, however not everyone experiences change in the same way. Some react positively, some negatively, and some appear not to react to change at all.
Managers and supervisors will learn characteristics of responses, develop change strategies, and deal with the impact of the employees change response. Based on the work of Dr. Ben Bissell, Managing Change explores the human side of change while leading your employees and continuing the daily work. Unfortunately, this class is not scheduled at this time. If you are interested in this course, please send an email to train@uky.edu with the name of the course, your phone number, and email address.
Reading Material
Change Management: The People Side of Change by Jeffrey M. Hiatt and Timothy Creasey
Change Management: The People Side of Change is an introduction to change management for managers and executives. Project leaders and consultants can use this book with their organizations and clients to introduce change management to front-line managers and top-level executives involved in change. Specifically, managers and executives will understand the broader perspective around change management and understand their role in the process.
Who Moved my Cheese? By Spencer Johnson and Kenneth Blanchard
With Who Moved My Cheese?, Dr. Spencer Johnson realizes the need for finding the language and tools to deal with change—an issue that makes all of us nervous and uncomfortable.
Most people are fearful of change because they don't believe they have any control over how or when it happens to them. Since change happens either to the individual or by the individual, Spencer Johnson shows us that what matters most is the attitude we have about change.
Leading Change by John Kotter
Millions worldwide have read and embraced John Kotter's ideas on change management and leadership. From the ill-fated dot-com bubble to unprecedented M&A activity to scandal, greed, and ultimately, recession—we've learned that widespread and difficult change is no longer the exception. It's the rule.
John Kotter's now-legendary eight-step process for managing change with positive results has become the foundation for leaders and organizations across the globe. By outlining the process every organization must go through to achieve its goals, and by identifying where and how even top performers derail during the change process, Kotter provides a practical resource for leaders and managers charged with making change initiatives work.