We’ve talked a lot about change over the years. The rapid pace of technological advancement, the depletion of labour pools, supply chain impediments, among many other factors, have all meant changes to how our businesses operate.
We’re all used to troubleshooting. We see a problem, we solve it. But what happens when all you can see is a looming grey blob in the distance that has yet to define itself? We get scared.
There seems to be a few grey blobs lurking in the distance right now, and it could be making your business less productive than it usually is. You can’t change the world, but you can take action.
There are a lot of different theories, strategies, and models for managing change. At their core are two fears and two ways to alleviate that fear.
Fear of the unknown is the scariest. As our minds struggle to devise a plan for survival, we imagine the threat getting bigger. In that doomsday scenario, there’s nothing we can do. Uncertainty and loss of control are what we fear most.
Communication and engagement are the antidotes. Openly discussing potential threats and their impact defines the problems that might need to be solved. Doing that as a group, you and your staff can eliminate the implausible events and focus on more the likely situations that could arise.
Once you’ve fully explored the potential problems, involving your staff in devising counter-measures is a counter-measure in itself, restoring a sense of control over the future. Plus, they are very likely to have some great ideas.
If and when one of those threats appears, keeping everyone informed and engaged as much as possible, will go a long way in maintaining calm and expediting a smooth transition.