Your business is undergoing major changes. How can you ensure your team stays motivated and productive?

Having experienced many changes through acquisition, natural growth or expansion it was always important to communicate in clear and simple way. Effective communication is crucial during times of change as it keeps the team informed, reduces uncertainty, and fosters a sense of transparency. It helps address concerns, aligns everyone with the common goals, and ultimately contributes to a more positive and collaborative work environment, boosting team morale and happiness.

Business transformation phase in any business, requires senior stakeholders and executives to be as transparent as possible. To achieve this, a leader must ensure to communicate the vision of any change or transformation initiative, then give room for employees to understand the importance and see the big picture. Part of communicating the vision should include sharing a post-implementation picture, being genuine about the impact of the change and ensuring a win-win for the employees and the organization.

I have stressed the value of transparent communication when guiding through major changes, making sure that the "why" and "how" of the changes are in line with the objectives of our company. I've created a two-way communication channel by fostering an open discourse that reduces anxiety and fosters ownership. Team morale has been sustained by my approach of setting an example of adaptation and celebrating little triumphs. Providing my staff with the tools they need, I've witnessed how well-managed change can spur creativity and expansion.

Business transformation is a very big task to perform it requires the deep involvement of the Leader along with the Entire Team, with proper planning and Goals. You have to keep motivating the Team during this journey, Inspiration is one of the major pillars here, guide the team in the right direction, do monitor regularly, Define Role , Responsibility along with target date,

In leading change management, the key to keeping teams motivated is fostering a culture of inclusion and resilience. Communication is crucial, but it's just the start. Empowering team members to be part of the change process, acknowledging their concerns, and providing continuous support are vital. It's essential to align the change with individual and collective goals, creating a sense of ownership and purpose. As a global change management expert, I advocate for leveraging technology to facilitate transparent, ongoing dialogue and training, ensuring teams are not just informed but also equipped and inspired to navigate the change journey effectively.

Changes in an organization are constant and should be expected, especially if the organization values the benefits of continuous improvement. That said change is known to create confusion or barriers for team members if there is not clear and detailed communication around the change. To keep my team motivated and productive, I ensure that I plan for communication and give it priority. This means taking the time to capture their concerns or needs and working to address them with traceable action and follow through.

When I think back to changes that landed well, a common factor was the clarity, simplicity and resonance of the vision shared by leadership. The more transparent and human in nature, the more likely to elicit a connection with teams and move forward - a clear why.

The manner in which you share the vision is extremely important it is not only sharing a vision but including the team in building the vision and also showing how the new stance will benefit them

Communicating openly with your team gives people the opportunity to be involved and learn from the process you are undertaking and also the opportunity for others to contribute to the process with ideas, resolving challenges and supporting the overall desired outcome.

Including the team in the planning and execution of change has been a key component of my strategy, building on my approach to leadership. I make sure they have a sense of agency and ownership in the process by proactively seeking their opinions, ideas, and suggestions. Giving them jobs and responsibilities that fit their interests and talents allows them to play to their strengths and increases commitment and engagement. Their value inside the company is increased when their contributions are valued and acknowledged. By building a collaborative and inclusive climate that is favorable to successful change, I make it apparent that they are an essential part of the solution and that I sincerely value their thoughts and expertise.

Adding: inclusion of individuals & teams also requires focus. Tight change cases, addressing the "why" & "WIIFM" are essential. Understanding change impact, risk, readiness & resistance levels are critical to determine change design & direction Cultivate & leverage your agents for shared change success. Enlist intentionally: there are many informal & formal change roles in an org focused on critical change results. Change-based communication with an established feedback loop are essential: a change story has many authors and recipients. Lastly, celebrate, reward, & recognize change effort, especially when the going gets tough. Not every coin is shiny - but it has value. Change is a long game: many minds and hearts win it.

I think the key is to make sure your team knows not only how the changes impact them but also why they are important to the successful implementation of the changes. Morale comes from feeling that the work you do is important and so your team needs to know how the changes are important to the organization and to them.

This is a crucial step. Often the team have the knowledge of the issues/areas of friction. So once the vision of where we are going is painted (and why) the team can help with how we should get there. Quick tips • be open to all ideas • prioritise the ideas and share how this is being done (it will help show why certain ideas have been taken forward and others haven’t) • if you get a flood of ideas it can be helpful to group into themes to then prioritise. Eg if there are 20 small issues on process X individually they maybe tiny but clearly a cluster of issues means it’s a process that needs attention. • how the ideas are collected is important writing on a post it note /online digital board can help all voices be heard.

You have to get the buy in from the team that will be implementing the change. To do this, you have to ensure that as a leader, you understand their pain points and can address these with the new change. You need to be open to having open dialogues with the teams and let them know how you will be tracking the progress (or not) via metrics. Sharing the results of the metrics will be crucial for improvements with the team.

As leaders, we must inculcate the sense of deep trust in our teams. Of course, we must pick the right talent for the right roles. Empower them with the assigned roles & responsibilities, and watch them from afar. Be their sounding board, where required. Some may falter and make mistakes along the way. But that is absolutely fine so they could learn from their failures. Nothing beats being rolling up their sleeves and being hands-on. As leaders, we continue to provide them with relentless courage and sheer motivation to deliver their set objectives. Unleash their passion to deliver amazing feats which they would never have thought they were capable of.

It is critical to listen to the team’s fears and concerns in addition to ideas and suggestions. Sometimes change brings what seems like impossible or overwhelming challenges/deadlines and if you can break it down together, they can more easily see the light at the end of the tunnel.

A great way to think about involving the team is working out what their significant personal milestones are in the change. Often change management can be too focused on completing assessments, creating plans, writing communications, delivering training, etc. All of these are important as long as they are in service of the people who are going through the change. But, what's even more important is identifying the moments that really matter to the impacted people. That might be starting a new role, getting a new manager, beginning to use a new system independently, or working in a new location or in a new way. Over-indexing on these moments, in my experience, leads to much great involvement in the change.

Communication, communication, communication. Remembering that it's two way, so Listen twice as much as you talk. Try to explain why it's a better place to be in after the change, then let them work out what is in it for them and hence why to commit. Then ask them how best to get to the new place, and follow their advice.

When undergoing transformational change transparency with your team is key. People naturally want to trust and support their leader so you need to embrace that by bringing them along your journey. Share the challenges you face, the tough decisions, the potential upside, and be clear on what it means for them. I have found that in moments of crisis when you follow this approach the team bands together and ultimately their loyalty to the business grows.

I give my team's emotional and practical assistance top priority when leading them through change. In response to their worries, I provide them the tools, guidance, and independence they need to adjust. I foster mutual support and personal development by encouraging collaboration and providing frequent feedback. By acknowledging accomplishments and drawing lessons from failures, I show my dedication to their career advancement and general well-being.

1st thing I did was to contact members of my team past and present on a human level not as their boss or previous boss. Make sure they felt safe and if not to offer help connecting them. No canned bsh*it pointing to company resources or helplines. Just honest checking in and offering what I could do or couldn't do to help. Next, contacted my peers to reassure they were not alone. Letting people vent is cathartic. Then I suppose I need to sort my own future out. Why this order... I believe true leadership isn't about putting yourself at the front of queue unless that is how you can best look after your own team past and present.

My comment in section 2. above also applies here. In addition, talk with your team and take time to truly listen to their concerns and needs.

Acknowledging your team's concerns and feedback is critical. Once a person feels valued and respected, they are more inclined to speak up more, and/or adapt quicker to change.

I find team support is often overlooked, especially in smaller organizations without HR expertise. Interesting though, for small to medium businesses, having the right people on your team is a significant success factor. We have a dilemma! I encourage small business owners to reach out to HR experts to help them develop high retention work environments with engaged staff- the difference in contributions, commitment, energy and cohesion are well worth the cost of creating resources, training and guidance to develop and support the people you are making a significant investment in.

Acknowledge that changes can be challenging and offer support to help team members adapt. This might include additional training, resources, or even external counseling services if the changes are particularly stressful.

Managing organizational change is one of the most complex challenges a company can face. The first thing you need to do is help your team understand their personal “why” change needs to occur. Then you need to give them resources e.g. training to adjust to the change. Next you need to create an incentive for the change to last and finally you need your senior leadership to role model the effectiveness of the change. If you do all these things successfully you will have a cooperative team that is motivated to respond to this challenge with a positive mindset that helps you transition your company to the next stage of growth. You also will have a more adaptable workforce that can implement further change with the same systems based approach.

In addition to the steps mentioned, I recommend the following change-coping employee initiatives and resources: 1. Actively promote mental health resources 2. Implement peer mentoring programs 3. Encourage work-life balance 4. Facilitate team-building activities 5. Provide channels for anonymous feedback 6. Develop a resilience training program 7. Establish a support network 8. A hotline to leadership

Do a resource assessment of your team. Ask them questions to understand their needs. Do they need training? Do they need input? Ask them, what do you think your biggest need is going into this change project? All of the above are valid questions and will open up the dialogue on how leadership can support their work. Remember, your team members will come with different needs, with different situations at home and at work. Consider this as you provide support.

High use of autonomy, mastery and purpose. Coach and mentor your team and others in different disciplines. Tom Brady’s motivation as a leader throughout his career was not driven by money or fame, but rather by his desire to give his best, never let his teammates down, and be the best he could be. Sounds like servant leadership at its best.

I manage change as multi-dimensional. One thing I haven't seen in the comments is something I tell my leaders and customers often "Understand what you, your team and your company need to do to manage change today without impacting the forward thinking of tomorrow's evolution".

Woran erkennen Sie, dass die Veränderung wirkt? Gibt es Zahlen, Daten und Fakten die die Veränderung messbar machen? Bei weichen Faktoren schwer messbaren Faktoren können Mitarbeiter:innen Umfragen ein hilfreiches Instrument sein. Auch Kund:innen Befragungen sind denkbar. Überlegen Sie sich wie sie die Veränderung quantifizierbar und "objektiv" messbar machen können.

Be flexible and open to adjustments as needed. If initial plans aren’t working as expected, be willing to adapt and make necessary changes.

Keeping tab of what your employee's change environment looks like will be one of the most important things you can do. What are the changes (including BAU ones)? How are they impacting your people in what ways? Without data this is like driving a jumbo jet with no dashboard. And this is the only way to de-risk your business performance during multiple changes.

Change is tough and sometimes painful. To ensure that motivation is not lost along the way, is is important to aim also for short-term successes, making them visible and celebrating them. These "quick wins" strengthen people's confidence in the change and pay tribute to the first courageous people who have successfully embarked on the journey.

Monitorear, pero con flexibilidad. No imponer, observar sin interrumpir. Apoyar, ayudar, aconsejar, pero dar libertad para conseguir los objetivos

The entire monitoring process should feed constructive, aligned and measurable outcomes that adds value in a definitive way to the company and the personal aspects.

Wichtig ist daher auch zu Beginn einer Veränderung die Haltung der Führung zum Prozess herauszuarbeiten und unter Führung ein gemeinsames Verständnis dazu zu entwickeln. Zu klären gilt bspw. darf der Prozess itterativ sein, wann ist der Prozess erfolgreich (wann nicht), wie gehen wir mit Störungen um oder kritischen Stimmen?

A grand Vision and corporate feel will only get you so far. Any change initiative should undertake a Voice of the Customer exercise which brings issues to the surface as well as gauging how the change is being received. Show employees that you are willing to consider adjustments. Engage employees in reviewing role descriptors and 'To Be' and respond to feedback. Be rigorous in managing Risks, Actions, Issues and Dependencies (RAID) and do so with as much transparency as possible. Involve Quality or other compliance officers and use HR.

In my leadership experience, motivating a team through change is essential. I concentrate on outlining the advantages of change and presenting a vision that is in line with the goals of the team and the company. I encourage the team to take ownership of changes by fostering initiative and innovation and ensuring that they are in line with our core mission and values. Acknowledging their contributions strengthens their contribution to our success and promotes a flexible and resilient culture.

I'm a believer in transparency and clear communication. Team members are more likely to embrace and champion change if they understand the reasons/need for change, their role and the targeted outcomes. It is also important to share the plan for how change will be implemented. Understanding and involvement increase the rate of acceptance of change and going one step further- being aware and buying into the strategy with commitment.

I like the five items listed in the column. If leaders know how to do all those things, then it could be a helpful checklist. . Sadly, I haven't met a lot of leaders who know how to address all five of those things well. Too often, those items are given lip service or reduced to slide shows. I recall an all hands meeting that was supposed to be a forum where people could ask questions and engage in conversation. The leaders talked non-stop for 80 of the 90 minutes - and they felt like they had done a good job. . . Leaders who address those five items well tend to engage people with some humility, have a willingness to listen and be influenced by what they hear, and a sincere curiosity about how well they are doing.

I am a fan of leading by example as a means to inspire your team. Demonstrate resilience and a positive attitude. Your behavior sets the tone for the team, so modeling a proactive and adaptive approach can inspire and motivate others.

Every day is an opportunity to start the day on a positive note. I would select one team member to lead the "Gemba Walk" approach for a short team gathering. Each team member is given the chance to briefly share his / her top 3 things to accomplish for the day. This way, everyone gets to know what each plans to do. It provides an excellent opportunity for the team to collaborate, optimize, leverage and coordinate much more effectively and more efficiently. They get inspired by each other, and understand the power of teams and camaraderie. When the day is over, the team feels the sense of accomplishment by doing things together.

This is really where the vision and the inspiration can be one and the same. It is the value and/or benefit of the change itself and why you may have taken it on as an endeavor in the first place. Inspiring the team can also queue everyone up for the next big change on the horizon. This will be very important to help you build up your team's "change readiness."

les 4 points clés pour mobiliser l'équipe et l'inspirer: - Ecouter chacun et révéler sa zone de génie, ses talents, ce qui qu'il aime faire - Partager les valeurs cardinales communes et les incarner - Co-créer une grande vision XXL qui nous ressemble et qui soit une référence unique - Enfin être là au quotidien pour lever, avec courage, tous les points bloquants.

Inspiring people to take change forward build teams/depts that grow stronger over time. Even after you have left the team/dept. It’s hard to inspire everyone and people have different motivations. However, storytelling and examples are often the best way to inspire a group of people. Although I have a finance background and numbers are important, I know the stories I share inspire more than a financial target. Pick your story/ example carefully - it needs to be personal and heartfelt to you for that emotion to transfer to your audience & it needs to be relevant to the challenge ahead.

Feiern Sie die Erfolge! Wertschätzen Sie die Mitarbeiter:innen! Retros und Wertschätzungsrunden sind hierzu hilfreiche Methoden sich die Erfolge der Vergangenheit bewusst zu machen.

Change management is more complex than defined - you have to amass awareness first in the larger construct through careful outreach. Once you have sufficient awareness made you should be able to select adopters and resisters by broadcasting your proposed value adds. Once you get your selected adopters you should focus on motivating few for doing a pilot of change impacts. Once you find the pilot bearing acceptable results go and lead the change - you would have sufficient power and influence by now.

In order to ensure a smooth transition, I place a strong emphasis on custom strategies made to meet the unique needs of each team in my change management consulting firm. Using cutting-edge tools and industry best practices, my strategy helps you manage change with efficiency. Evaluating and improving a team's preparation for change and providing them with the tools and perspective they need is essential. A resilient work environment where change is welcomed as a chance for development and creativity is fostered by this empowerment-focused approach. I want to foster a culture of flexibility and never-ending development, which is essential in the fast-paced corporate environment of today.

- Don't overlook the emotional aspect of change. Acknowledging fears and concerns among the workforce, as done by companies like Adobe during their switch to a subscription model, can mitigate resistance and foster a more supportive atmosphere for change. - Sometimes, external expertise is vital. Firms like McKinsey offer specialized change management services that provide a fresh perspective and proven strategies to guide major transitions.

I have been on both sides: client and consultant. If you have internal change management capabilities that are relevant to the situation, you only look at supplementing them if needed. If you need different skills, then consider this carefully. Some organizations have difficulties to accept consultants or you may be in a business where it can be sensitive (Defense, Public Services, R&D intensive). By experience, the choice needs to be evident and smooth. If not, you add a significant risk for failure. As a consultant, I've turned down change managment projects because I knew that my client's organization was not ready for it or not ready for consultants.

Change management risk is real. Having a consultant can be that extra set of eyes as you craft a strategy, develop the execution plan, figure out how to message it to your employees and how you will monitor implementation. They can work alongside you in ensuring success because they have the expertise, experience and resources. Especially if you or your leadership team doesn't have experience carrying out significant changes, outsource it. Don't be afraid to ask for help. It will be much more cost-effective to proactively plan for an effective change, versus dealing with consequences after the fact.

If shopping for a provider to support you, keep in mind there are many consultants who have a core skill of managing change, but may be labeled as another flavor of consultant. "Integration Consulting" or "Growth & Scale Consulting", "Management Succession Consultant", etc --- I think including the driver of the change as part of your search will add strength to identifying the person with experience in the particular change you are leading.

Don't hire them to 'do the dirty work'. If there are changes to be made they can help the process but once their assignment is finished they roll on to the next one, you will be left with the result.

When strategizing and executing change, engaging third-party experts is optimal, particularly for addressing the emotional dimensions of change and crafting a roadmap for successful implementation. I've participated in numerous strategic interventions for efficient change management, assisting managers with nuanced human aspects of change and developing frameworks for the most effective implementation. Regardless of who assumes the lead, establishing trust in their ability to navigate change management processes is paramount.

Emphasize the critical role of transparent communication in making sure the team understands the reasons and goals behind the change. Highlighting the alignment with organizational values and how it impacts their roles could be vital. Suggest the benefits of involving the team in the change process. Stress the importance of providing both emotional and practical support to the team. Recommend the importance of regularly assessing the effectiveness of the change process. Suggest ways to incorporate feedback, resolve challenges, and communicate progress, reinforcing the idea of continuous improvement.

First you must have already clearly communicated a vision for the company. Where you were and where you are going. Second, communicate the strategy behind the changes in an open forum - in person if possible - with all members of the team or company and how it relates to your original vision. Third explain the tactics you will use to execute the changes within the context of the strategy. Fourth allow people to ask questions and interrogate your thinking. Solicit feedback and take suggestions into consideration.

During a merger or acquisition at a company, as per my experiences, keeping employees motivated and productive is crucial. Communicate openly about the changes, address concerns, and emphasize the positive aspects, such as potential growth and new opportunities. Provide clear information about how the transition will impact their roles and assure them of ongoing support. Encourage a sense of unity by fostering teamwork and collaboration. Recognize and reward hard work to boost morale. Offer training and resources to help employees adapt to any new systems or processes. Maintaining transparent communication and prioritizing the well-being of the team can go a long way in navigating the changes and keeping everyone focused and motivated.

Here are 10 strategies for managing change in your team: 1. Be transparent in communication. 2. Involve team members in decision-making. 3. Address concerns empathetically. 4. Provide training and support. 5. Set clear goals and expectations. 6. Celebrate milestones and achievements. 7. Promote team bonding. 8. Offer flexibility. 9. Provide career development opportunities. 10. Lead by example.

Design for change well, with vs. to people. - Motivation will likely hang around if there’s trust, social norms are in alignment and supportive of the change (leadership behaviour, what’s being seen heard) - Feel they'll be supported with capability, and don't have roadblocks in the way - Feel what's changing makes sense and is strategically aligned - That they're not being made to look like they're behind the eight ball - people's reputations mean a lot - That the process of change is fair Re: productivity, all of he above keep it human centric and simple (it's about effective change, not glorified program PR). And avoid the ostrich effect. Realistically assess capacity, and if needed, adjust how it's incremented and/or supported.

During times of significant changes in the company, it's crucial to maintain open communication with your team. Share the reasons behind the changes, address their concerns, and involve them in the decision-making process. In a previous role, our company underwent a major restructuring. To keep the team motivated, we organized regular town hall meetings where leadership explained the reasons for the changes, the expected benefits, and addressed employee concerns. Additionally, we set up suggestion boxes to gather input and ideas from the team, making them feel actively involved in the process. This approach helped maintain motivation and productivity during a challenging transition.

Resistance Management - It’s important to anticipate the resistance elements and plan for them. People might be anxious or fear loss of autonomy, control or responsibility or simply fear losing their job or status. Leaders should help people by listening, providing critical information and equip them with skills and training to be in a position to carry out and sustain the changes. Measurement Criteria - how do we know if the change is successful. This can be done by establishing clear accountability, milestones, visible dashboards.

Business drivers bring a unique perspective to business change by fostering creativity and encouraging collaboration within their teams. They understand that diverse perspectives lead to more robust solutions and foster an environment where experimentation is encouraged. Business drivers are at the forefront of driving any change because they possess a relentless drive for success combined with a deep understanding of emerging trends. Their ability to identify opportunities, take calculated risks, adapt quickly, and foster creativity and collaboration sets them apart as true visionaries shaping the future of the business through management.

Always connect the dots of the tactical work-streams to corporate business initiatives! It helps employees truly understand the value in the work they are doing, and motivates them to drive business value. #VicianaData🔥

Mantener motivado a un equipo que gestiona el cambio es multifactorial. Lo que puede hacerlo mas ligero, es que cada persona pueda tener claro su propósito profesional el ¿Para que hago lo que hago? y que pueda conectarlo con ese proyecto. Parece un poco abstracto lo que digo, sin embargo, es la clave para motorizar cualquier compromiso de evolución. Cuando una persona y un equipo encuentran el valor que le aporta esa experiencia o proyecto a su trayectoria profesional, se crecen, el compromiso es natural, se agilizan las capacidades para superar desafíos y evolucionan juntos.

Ensuring there is strong alignment on the current state of the organization is critical to begin managing change. Without understanding and agreeing on where we are, it's excruciatingly difficult to determine the first steps on the path forward.