Thanks to the insights about the nature of the universe now available to us through the discoveries of physicists working in the realm of quantum theory, we can now state with a great deal of certainty that nothing is ever certain. No, it is true; there is now an established principle – Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle – that proves nothing can ever be proven for sure. At this point, we have to skip past all the ironies associated with this idea and get to the main point: the universe is in a constant state of unpredictable, inevitable change at every level – from the subatomic level to the macroeconomic level, the world is a giant, fomenting lava lamp of rapid, chaotic, random events sweeping us along toward the next Big Thing, whatever that is. This fact carries urgent implications for anyone managing people in a business environment: if you want to maintain continuity, competency and profitability, you must work hard to build a “change-able” organization. The key to success in this area can be summed up in one word – leadership.
When your employees come to work, they have a handful of needs -- they need to know what is expected of them, they need to know that they are going to be fairly and regularly compensated, and they need to know that they are going to be treated with respect by the people in charge. When any of these three basic needs is threatened, confusion increases, production decreases and the entire work environment can become stressed and even hostile. It is important for managers, supervisors and other team leaders to understand that any kind of change event can produce anxiety and instability in one or more of these basic needs, and this can lead to trouble.
A change event can be practically anything – large or small – but because every change requires employees to react, adjust, and rethink their relationship to their work processes, and often to the company itself, it always leads to a certain amount of instability. Moving the copier farther away from some employees and closer to others is a change event. Asking employees to park in a different spot or eat lunch in a different area is a change event that can lead to a level of controversy that managers often fail to anticipate or understand. A personnel change within the office – promotion, resignation or termination – creates controversy, uncertainty and anxiety all at the same time, as employees experience feelings of loss, envy (“that promotion should have been mine”) and confusion regarding how this change will affect their own situation. We haven’t even gotten to the so-called BIG changes yet – converting to a new operating system, mergers and acquisitions, and, worst of all, down-sizing. Let me say this one more time: change of any size at any time is going to have a negative effect on your employees and their ability to be efficient and productive, and that is going to have an impact on your bottom line. And, since we have already emphasized that change is inevitable and ongoing, this means that you need to have a philosophy of leadership in place at all times that will help your employees deal with change whenever and however it comes.
There are three vital leadership components that must be present to create a change-able organization. First of all, good leaders establish an open, honest, interactive communication style. Employees hate to be blind-sided by changes, especially changes that it is obvious management has been planning for weeks or months without input from anyone else. Now is not the place to launch into a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of a vertical versus a horizontal organization. Suffice it to say that employees always handle change much better when they have a chance to provide some level of input into the situations that affect them. It is at least important to offer a clear explanation about why changes were made so that employees don’t feel disrespected and unimportant.
The worst of all possible worlds occurs when employees sense that “something is up.” They see the furtive looks, and they note the hurried comings and goings of managers and supervisors in and out of each other’s offices. When no one tells them anything, they make up their own scenarios and infect each other with gossip and speculation that can quickly create a tense, hostile atmosphere, drastically reducing efficiency and productivity. Whenever possible, leaders should provide as much information as they can, as soon as they can. It rarely hurts, and almost always helps, to trust employees with information and make them a part of the change process, instead of victims of it.
In addition to providing open, honest communication, good leaders also offer sensitive, appropriate support during times of change. Managers and supervisors are often under the gun to get the change implemented and operational, or to keep production going while needed adjustments are made. At times like these, this narrow focus can alienate or offend employees who are still trying to figure out what is happening and why, or who are feeling sad, threatened, or angry. Wise leaders will take a little time to acknowledge the difficulties the team is facing, frequently express appreciation for the personal efforts being made, and even reveal a few of their own feelings (in ways that are appropriate). In addition, effective leaders will keep an open door and an open mind, and make every effort to understand and respond to the needs of their employees during times of change.
If a manager or a supervisor keeps an open communication style and offers plenty of support, she will have a much better chance of earning plenty of the one commodity that is absolutely necessary if organizations are going to weather changes both large and small. That one key commodity is trust. When employees see leaders as open, honest and supportive, they are much more likely to give them the benefit of the doubt during times of change, and work with you instead of against you. Trust is a gift that employees bestow on very good leaders, and it must be guarded carefully. You must make promises and then keep them, never make promises you can’t (or don’t intend to) keep, be willing to accept responsibility for mistakes, and then fix them. When employees see leaders operate with this level of integrity, they will be able to face change with confidence, keep working with efficiency, and preserve the sense of teamwork that is so vital for seeing change as an opportunity instead of an enemy.
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September Management Quick Tip of the Month – The Motivation Mystery
Any manager who says his employees are unmotivated has never watched them pull out of the parking lot on Friday afternoon. Headed home for a weekend of watching football, golfing, boating at the lake with friends, or something else equally attractive energizes their attitudes in ways that five days at work never does. The problem isn’t that people aren’t motivated; it is usually that managers haven’t discovered what motivates them. Years ago, the prevailing theory was that workers were shiftless deadbeats who had to be closely supervised and regularly criticized in order to keep their production high. We now understand that motivation is a combination of fair compensation, regular appreciation, opportunities for advancement or to make a difference somehow, all played out in an atmosphere of respect and dignity. If you have one or more team members who seem to be lacking in motivation, before you write them up or write them off, sit down with them and ask them to write out what they wish were different about their job situation. Their answer will often correspond with one of the above factors. Address that issue – mystery solved.
