Perception is greater than reality!
As we navigate change among the most important things you will need to remember is Why is the change important and Why from the view of your audience.
Make it a point to understand the different perspectives of the people on this change journey with you. What is most important to them, how are they impacted and what do they need for support?
A common management mistake occurs in the planning stages of a project or change initiate. The organization projects the Why of Senior Leadership or the executive team onto everyone else and expects them to jump on the ship.
This is a problem because:
The why. For a VP is different from the Why for a Sales Associate, or bank teller. Does the forklift driver really care about generic statements about cost savings or efficiency? Let’s translate that to a family. A person may inform their children they are moving because they received a higher paying job in another state.
The why of the parent is financial growth, professional development, but what is important to the children may be being close to their friends, this is the only home they have ever known.
To help people through change learn about their perspectives by asking questions, recruiting representatives to provide the voice and perspectives on the people impacted. Create your message about value to be specific and relevant to people’s roles, passions, ambitions, and goals.
If you have a great organizational mission that people believe in, do not bury it in meaningless jargon. For example, St. Jude’s has a great purpose that employees are emotionally committed to. It has less value to talk about streamline processed and more value to align on how this change relates to treating and saving the lives of children.
Seek perspectives and align your why to something that people can buy-in to.
These tips will help you take a leap on your change journey.
Learn what is important to your audience.
Emotional connections associate people’s purpose and values to support change.
Align where you are going and how you will get here, misalignment is a change killer.
Perspective will help you adapt your strategy and methods to the needs of the journey.
