Are you scared of change? Then you have kainotophobia. Almost everybody in this world have this phobia or fear of change and a slightest suggestion of a change would cause a tremendous panic. This is the phobia that everybody encounters almost on daily basis. What I am focusing in this discussion is the phobia connected to the disruptive changes in the technology companies and how it can be controlled effectively.
Change is necessary for an organization to work effectively and efficiently. Many times change may be required in order to improve the processes and the use of better technology. Every day we see changes in the policies, technology, processes etc… rushing with the lightning speed causing a tremendous upheaval in the day today activities. Nevertheless a true leader can easily control the effect of these and can lead the people effectively, provided the leader follows a set of principles and actions. Let me share you an interesting story which I read sometime back.
A long time ago, during a war in the europe region, a spy was captured and the general announced a death sentence to him. But the general has a strange custom and offered spy to make a choice: Face a stream of bullets or pass through the Black door.
The spy was sweating profusely with fear and unable to decide the course of action.
It was not an easy decision for the spy agent and finally he preferred to face the firing squad to the unknown horrors behind The Black Door.
“Well it’s up to you” the general said. The spy has been granted his wish with a stream of bullets from the firing squad.
Finally the general said to lieutenant “You see how it is. People prefer to the known rather than the unknown. Getting fear of the unknown and undefined is the characteristic of the people. I gave him a choice but he didn’t make a wise decision”
Lieutenant asked the general “what’s behind The Black Door”?
“Freedom” with a long sigh the general replied. “Very few people I know have taken a brave decision to pass through The Black Door”
True isn’t it? People have an inherent fear of the uncertainties of the change. A slight suggestion of a change would cause a great panic which might lead to a catastrophe. However a true leader can lead the people through the Black Door of change.
So what are principles and actions true leader should follow to nullify the ill effects of the changes? Though there are many books, articles, white papers written on this subject, I think the following are the principles and actions that a leader should have to drive the change effectively.
1. A real leader always listens to the people – Change always brings lot of strong emotional reactions. Some employees will be excited but majority will be full of fear, angry, confusion, anxiety. The key thing to remember here is that these are normal. Listen to then, allow them to vent their reactions. Do not force the employees to suppress their feelings.
2. A real leader knows the ill effects of non-reactions from the employee – If employees are not venting their reactions about the change then sure there will be trouble ahead. If the employees suppress their reactions or feelings it will explode sooner or later eventually threatening the whole organization. Non communication/reactions from the employees will have a serious counter-productive physiological, psychological, interpersonal and organizational reactions. So the leader and the employees must start talking about the changes.
3. A real leader knows change must be processed irrespective of the time it takes – A true leader will always encourage the employees to talk about their reactions about the change. The challenge here is it takes time for the employees to process these reactions and accept the change. It’s very common that the organizations mostly technology companies which are in the throes of change have no time to engage it’s employees to express their reactions or discussing the change. The common complaint is they don’t have the time or can’t afford for this activity. Well if they don’t invest time or can’t afford now, they will have to in the due course when the things go awry creating problems throughout the organization. A true leader would create the forums to talk, discuss about the change with his/her employees.
In addition here are the actions that a leader should execute to drive the change efficiently.
1. Take the initiative and start with the self – The change just doesn’t create panic among the employees but a leader equally have the fear, anxiety. So first start with yourself pouring your reactions about the change. Whether you have the fear, excitement, confusion bring them out all. Analyze what a change really mean to you and how it can benefit. The best way to do is to peer networking. Ask a few colleagues working in different organizations who have encountered similar situations. Find out the changes in their business processes, how they felt, how they are coping. So with this you will find that you are not the only one on this planet having this trouble. So working with peer would help immensely to gather the valuable inputs and addressing the change in an effective manner.
2. Appreciate the past with the employees – Very too often employees think that a change means the old way of doing was wrong. So engage in an honest discussion with the employees, appreciate and celebrate the past way of doing. Tell them that there is nothing wrong in doing the old way and probably it was the best way to do. But emphasize that the times are changing, things are changing dramatically and organization must change to remain competitively in the market.
3. Lead with the influential people – Identify the key influential people in the organization, talk to them as a friend or a family member. Listen to them, communicate the benefits of change, eradicate all the fears, anxiety, confusion etc.. and finally win over them. Continue leading the people by creating small group of forums where people feel safe to say what they think about the change. Then gently move the discussion from “why we have to go through the change” to “How we can grow with this change”.
The above principles and actions can be applied to any situation be it changing an entire process, bringing a new policy or procedure, implementing a new organizational structure or even a task level activity such as implementing a new project report… you name it.
I strongly believe that a leader following the above principles and executing the actions would definitely bring the change in the organization effectively and efficiently.
