This year, a big part of my work has been focused on supporting leaders who want to help their teams better navigate the challenges and opportunities that change and uncertainty can bring.
At the start of many of the conversations on this topic, there have been mentions of what sounds like greater disengagement, cynicism, a sense of hopelessness and a feeling of ‘why bother?’ popping up. And when teams have the scope to take more initiative, they’re just not taking that step.
If this sounds familiar, here are three questions – and some answers - based on the Twist 4 Fundamentals, that I’ve been exploring with several leaders and teams…
Image: Xinging-Lin, Unplash
What are the root causes?
The disengagement and feelings of hopelessness that I’ve been seeing and hearing about this year don’t feel the same as those we experienced during the pandemic. This time around, it feels more like people have been worn down by constant shifts and changes and they’re running out of energy. But what might be behind that?
A team may have gone through a restructure and still be feeling the reverberations of that shift. Now, they’re facing another move round in their team on top of a challenging day job. There may be ongoing job insecurity and the constantly shifting economic and political landscape which impacts all our lives, isn’t helping either.
Playing detective can really help. By going into ‘curious mode’ you will naturally ask more questions. If you listen carefully to what’s being said, you’ll start to hear those root causes. Then you can do something about it.
Are your employees really empowered?
Feelings of hopelessness and disengagement can often arise from feeling that you’re either out of control, have no control at all and no autonomy. Empowerment is closely tied to feelings of autonomy. So, when people can choose how they do their work they’ll feel more trusted and respected. Layers of approval, multiple sign-offs and micro-managing slow things down and can erode any sense of responsibility and motivation to get into action. Why bother?
So, however uncomfortable it might feel for you, give people ownership over tasks, deadlines or other parts of their role. Get them involved in creating solutions, planning and problem-solving which brings a sense of control. And, if things don’t go to plan, ask them to explore what they’d do differently next time. Don’t reprimand or put people down and definitely. don’t try to take over – even if it feels like it might be quicker.
How resilient and supportive is your team environment?
There are a multitude of aspects to consider around resilience, but one of the topics that comes up time and time again in my work is connection. People want to meet with others, and to be seen, heard and acknowledged. This is something I’ve seen increase since the pandemic.
People impacted by change and feeling the effects of uncertainty seek out others more than ever. I’ve repeatedly had first-hand feedback of how important get-togethers with colleagues really are (in-person or online), along with time with leaders.
In short, having a strong support network that builds a real sense of community and shared resilience can help to support a feeling of belonging for people and that sense of being recognised. Don’t underestimate this.
Change isn’t going to slow down any time soon, so building your own change capability and that of your teams needs to be a priority. So, when you can see or hear what seems like more disengagement, hopelessness or apathy in your teams, that’s your signal to take time to listen and find out more.
If you’d like to explore how the Twist 4 Fundamentals might help build your organisation’s change capability, let’s chat.