You’re leading a team through a change. What’s the most important thing to consider?

To be enable change within one's team; its crucial that the " Change Champion" understands the short, medium and long term effects of this change and must be able to articulate this plan clearly and concisely to the team

Know who are the decision makers and how do decisions get made. This is important to understanding the organization dynamics and culture, which plays a central part in the strategies needed to facilitate the change. Note, the ones who make things happen are not always the ones with the big titles or the one sitting at the head of the board room table. Investigate (ask the right questions!) nuances and the informal networks of the organization.

Engaging the team is crucial because change can be unsettling. Clear communication is vital to ensure that the reasons for the change are clearly understood, as well as the impact and their new role. Keep the team informed and make sure they understand how this will affect them. Listen to their concerns and fears. Be always open to questions and answer honestly. Involve and engage them in the decision-making process as much as possible. It's a way of empowering them, and you'll be able to know their perspective and benefit from their experience. Provide support and resources to make the change as smooth as possible. (coaching, mentoring, and additional assistance. Do not forget to celebrate success, even if it's just a little milestone

Managing Change in the professional context can be one of the most emotionally challenging tasks that a leader can undergo hence why it's important to create psychological safety in your teams is the most important rule of thumb during any change process. Even the most robust of Change Plans with a poor psychological safety communication plan is doomed to fail. Most employees want to know; "how is this change going to affect my job" and the repercussions thereof. Hence the reason to create a robust dialogue with the team that has many communication streams.

Organizations and teams don't change for the sake of changing; thus, the actual change and the reason for it need to be CRYSTAL CLEAR!!! Furthermore, the consequences that will accrue to the organization or team if the change does not happen need to be just as clear. Just as the basis for the change must be clear, it is paramount that the messages that are sent are consistent and embraced by all of the major players on the leadership team. Leaders who are not aligned or who are more committed to maintaining their silos than the overall change that benefits the team should be addressed. If the change really matters, but behaviors show that some people don't have to do it, the overall messaging and goal are undermined.

Este es uno de los aspectos mas cruciales en el manejo del cambio ya que al entender que lo que nos trajo hasta aquí no siempre es lo que nos llevará mas lejos, abrimos posibilidades de hacer diferente lo que hacemos y obtener nuevos resultados. El aprendizaje tambien incluye el equivocarnos y rectificar en una versión mejorada.