At a glance: Change management for an easier transition

Change can be daunting. It means letting go of old ways and embracing the new. Over the following months, as CBPR transforms itself, we are all going to feel the effects. And just a few simple actions will go a long way toward minimizing the impact.

Managing with change in mind

Sonja Narcisse, HR director for CBPR, says leaders shouldn’t be surprised to find resistance. “It’s often a necessary step on the way to full commitment. The employees who resist today may be your most productive employees tomorrow. People do get through change.”

“Change is not linear, but a continuum,” Sonja adds. “There will be about 20 percent of folks who aren’t on board, 65 percent who are on the fence, and about 15 percent who are committed.”

It starts with leadership

Leadership is key to a successful change. Leaders should:

• Understand and be able to communicate the business reasons for any changes.
  
• Be prepared and understand the personal impact this change may have. (You can help others only if you’re taking care of yourself.)
  
• Be in the right frame of mind — open, understanding and respectful.
  
• Be aware of your attitudes and actions.
  
• Don’t assume everyone’s behaviors will remain the same. Understand that people’s reactions may vary as they learn more.
  

Leaders can’t rush someone through change, but they can help. Simple things like looking for signs of resistant behavior, openly listening, being clear about boundaries, and sharing information are extremely helpful to people.

Employees, speak up

Employees can also help themselves by speaking up when they have questions.

“Everyone needs to become knowledgeable about what this change effort is about,” explains Sonja. “Everybody has full access to this change portal on the intranet. And if they can’t get to it, they should ask their leader to provide the information. Employees have to be proactive — this is their business too.”

Keep talking

Right now, the most healthy and natural thing to do is simply talk.
“Our core strategies will remain the same; it’s just how we are going to be executing against them that’s changing,” says Sonja. “We’re in this together.”