Successful Change is a 3-way Street

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Last year in Jamaica, there was a day when we were driven from one hotel to another in the same chain, a 2.5 hour drive. Mid-way through the drive, I was surprised when the driver suddenly slowed right down from the speed he had maintained up until then, for no reason that I could see. He explained that there was a hairpin turn coming up, but the sign post warning of the hazard had been taken out by a truck a few days earlier, and had not yet been replaced - “It soon come mon”, he said. Fortunately for us, he had the knowledge he needed to navigate that upcoming course change successfully.

As the world maintains a rapid pace of change, it continues to impact all organizations - and the managers and teams therein. Along the way, there are many unexpected turns that must be navigated to stay on track in a market, and there are not always warning signs to alert us in advance. Successful change is a 3 way street.

1. Leaders need to Communicate While they Navigate
   When navigating major transformation, leaders need to map out impact points (teams, customers, departments) and plan to communicate what’s up ahead. In fact, they need to “over communicate”. They need to explain the need for the transformation and the intended end result and benefits. Netflix's CEO recently admitted that he messed up by not communicating the details of restructuring, or the reasons for a shift in pricing strategy (splitting the streaming and mail order DVD business).The result? Over a million cancelled subscriptions and a 51% decline in stock price.
   
   
2. Coach to Engage vs. Boss to Disengage
   As the organization sets about for a major transformation, managers at all levels really need to know how to “coach” vs. “boss” their people through change.  In addition, they need to know and understand their people and how each will deal with the change, so as to adapt in how they coach them. Some will jump on board in support, some need more time to mentally process, some need more details. All in all, major transformation can be scary, particularly when not well communicated. It’s reasonable to expect that managers will need to coach through the bumps (of fear) in the road, in order to protect engagement and productivity through the course of transformation.
   
   
3. Accept the Challenge and Responsibility
   You’ve heard the quote by former GE CEO, Jack Welch. “When the rate of change outside of an organization is greater than the change within, the end is in sight.”
   This is as true organizationally as it is individually. Regardless of what role you play, it is important to accept responsibility for your continual skill development and learning, in order to enhance (or at least maintain) your career. Some realize that there is a global shift happening from a culture of job security to  a simple emphasis on employability. In today’s world of skill obsolecence there is no “staying the same”. You are either progressing or regressing, so strategically plan and manage your skill development. If you are a manager, help coach others to do the same.