Life can get tricky for leaders of change. They are pulled in all directions, from focusing on financials, assessing plans and managing demands from interested stakeholders. The list goes on.
At some point in all this they will need to communicate something about the change – which could be perceived positively or negatively – to their own teams. Often, this announcement marks a key stage in a change and there is pressure to get it right.
Leaders are often measured and remembered by how they deliver difficult messages. In some cases, I’ve known people decide whether to stay or leave their organisation based on the way that change is delivered by their leaders.
So, planning and preparing yourself to do this as well as you can to ease the pressure, especially on yourself, can make all the difference.
Get engaged early and prepare
Leaders can be under even more pressure in big change and as you get nearer to an announcement of any sort, everyone gets more interested in what’s happening. Demands on your time increase.
It’s easy to think that when you’re busy you can read a document or get a briefing and then deliver a difficult message without any problem. But I’ve only seen a handful of leaders who can do this well. Getting engaged and involved as early as your diary allows, will help you consider the best way to deliver a message authentically, rather than reading out a script. Give yourself time to get into the right mindset and put it into your own words and way of delivery.
Treat every experience with a fresh perspective
I’ve worked with many leaders who say that they have ‘done this sort of thing before’ so it’ll be fine. There is some merit in that – you understand the process that’s involved but understanding that process is only half the story. The other half is about dealing with human beings – which includes you.
We can all respond in different, and sometimes unexpected, ways when we’re faced with the uncertainty that change can bring.
Taking a fresh perspective will avoid your delivery sounding insincere and is more likely to help your audience feel that you have their best interests at heart, whatever the news might be.
Think people first
This is probably the most important thing to remember. I often think that we need to leave logic until last when we’re thinking about communicating change.
It’s all about people, not the systems, process, the building move or whatever other ‘thing’ is involved in the change. If you put people at the heart of your thinking about change –considering the words that are being used, how you’re going to deliver them, when and where – will help build trust and help you maintain your own integrity.
Just put yourself in their shoes.
Give yourself a break
I don’t often hear leaders being asked how they’re coping when they’re driving change – the focus (rightly) goes onto those being impacted. But as a leader, you’re not exempt from feeling anxious or stressful in the same situation.
However, when we get stressed, our brains go into a reactionary mode and our thinking and focus can narrow. As a result, the way we communicate changes too. I’ve seen two extremes from leaders - either trying to take the sting out of a difficult message by waffling and leaving people more confused (and more stressed). Or, they go in the opposite direction and are brief and direct to the point of rudeness. Neither is ideal.
If you put your own oxygen mask on first and look after your own wellbeing – however frantic things get – you’ll be able to make better decisions and deliver messages with greater clarity. So, think about delegating upwards and downwards, get the right support from the experts in your team, get into the detail when it’s needed and give yourself some breathing space… all things you probably already know but any ideas to help you maintain the right balance when change gets challenging, will keep you on the right track.
If you are a leader of change who’s on the hook to deliver difficult messages and an independent sounding board would be useful, then get in touch.