Valerie & Company Blog

One thing is for sure – only a wet baby gets immediate  relief from change!

Working 15 years as a change management consultant in  Fortune 500 companies, I learned how leaders handle the stress that often  accompanies changes like a reorganization, downsizing (or whatever sizing is  the buzz word of the day!), mergers or acquisition, and even having a new  boss.  What can you do during these  difficult times to show your strengths and never deviate from your strong  brand? Here are a few tips – not only from me, but from those I worked with  during those years.

• Push the patience lever to full throttle. It’s easy to lose it! And it takes a strong leader to wait until your own stress  has subsided a bit before you say or do something you’ll regret.

• Be willing to say “I don’t know.” Don’t  ever fake it ’til you make it. Here’s what an admired CEO chose to do when his  company was being acquired. People were constantly asking him what was  happening, when would they know if their job was in jeopardy, and who would be  in charge – the current or future leaders? So he decided to hold regular “all  hands” meetings. Some were in person, others via video conferencing. In these  meetings he shared what he could, explained there were some things he simply  could not discuss at the moment, answered questions and often found himself  saying, “I don’t know….and when I DO, you will know too.” Result? He used the  first principle in change management, which is to communicate, communicate,  communicate. Even if it is saying “I don’t know.” Because of his leadership  behaviors and consistent messaging, the trust level remained high, honest  communication was appreciated, and when the acquisition finally happened,  people were ready to get on board. He demonstrated some of his authentic brand  attributes that included “trustworthy, engaging, ethical and communicator.”  These showed up in his behavior big time.

• Help others show their strengths and strong  brand. Now is when it’s uber-crucial to express clear expectations and get  everyone involved. Consider having your team leaders hold their own discussion  groups across departments and locations. Let them show their leadership competencies  by talking about the complex issues that may lie ahead and how to address them  as a department as well as individuals. Give them the opportunity to show their  leadership brand strengths that will identify the business strategy that’s  driving the change and demonstrate those behaviors that will encourage each  person to be more engaged in the process. One thing most employees want from an  organization is the feeling of being valued and an opportunity to use their  strengths to get results.

Valerie

http://www.valerieandcompany.com/

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