One question that has come up repeatedly this year in workshops and in conversations with leaders is, “How can we create a sense of stability when it feels like everything around is us rapidly shifting?”
There are several things we can do to support and build a feeling of steadiness and many of these are related to how we communicate in times of change. Here are just a few of the responses I’ve shared when this question has come up.
Image: Martin Sanchez, unsplash
Remind people what’s in their control
When things feel like they’re in constant flux, it can be helpful to take a step back and consider what is actually in our control and what we can influence. Being concerned about how other people drive their cars or the state of the UK economy for example, is not the best use of my time or energy as there’s very little influence or control I can have over these things. But when I start to think about the things I do have control over and what I can influence – how I drive my car or what I spend my money on – my perspective shifts. When I put energy and focus into how I choose to respond to what’s going on around me, I can feel like I have more control in my life.
How are you looking after yourself?
If you’ve been to any of my presentations or workshops, you’ll know that I often use the image of a roller coaster to describe the emotional responses we might feel when we’re dealing with change. It can often seem like we’re never going to get off that roller coaster and for some, it can feel like a much scarier ride than it does for others. Much like a roller coaster ride, change can be both emotionally draining and exhilarating. It’s vital to ask ourselves (and others) what our plan is to take care of ourselves, especially when things are feeling particularly bumpy.
Create balance - tell people what’s NOT changing
When we need to tell people that something specific is changing – we’re asking teams to come into the office more often or we’re introducing new software that’ll change the way we work – it can create feelings of uncertainty and nervousness. But at the same time, we can remind people what’s NOT changing and what’s staying the same – our organisational values, the focus on continuing to deliver great work for our customers, the list goes on. Balancing the new with the status quo can help to reduce some of that uneasiness, so it’s an important step in how you communicate change.
Keep updating – even when you have nothing new to share
When there is a void of information, people create their own details. In the absence of any updates, they may get angry that they’re being ‘ignored’ or that you may be withholding information you’re not sharing. So, make sure you communicate regularly and clearly with the information you do have and keep checking in on people. And don’t think that because you’ve shared details that the message has been received by everyone. Repeat important information by communicating it in different ways, giving everyone the opportunity to ‘hear’ your messages in a way that works for them.
If you don’t have information, be honest
If you’re asked a question you don’t know the answer to, it’s OK to say that you don’t know. But, sharing what you do know and what you’re aware of right now can give people more confidence and can help to calm feelings of nervousness.
It’s worth remembering that change has always been a fact of life and happens to and around us constantly. That will continue. But how we communicate change and support people through what feel like never-ending shifts, can make all the difference in how they navigate it.
If helping your teams to manage change better is important for your organisation right now and you’d like to explore how best to do that, get in touch.