Changes

Warren Bennis is quoted as saying “Managers are people who do things right, while leaders do the right thing.” I have always thought that was a powerful statement. Both well-intentioned, and yet generally with very different outcomes.

All around us, the world is changing. It can be unsettling. Our country is in a financial crisis. Today’s news is filled with yet another terrorist attack that we don’t understand or have all of the information on, leading to uncertainty. Part of the country is besieged with flooding and people have lost their lives.

Companies, too, are changing. Many have downsized, some are closing, and mergers and acquisitions happen so fast that you often aren’t sure who your employer will be tomorrow, or even if you will have one. It is during these uncertain times that leaders must step up to the plate and lead their teams well to minimize the negative impact that fear creates.

How can you do that?

Speak of the change positively and in terms of benefits. You can take the conversation from “how does this impact me?” to “how will things be better?” Even if you’re not sure about the change yourself, it’s important that leaders remain positive and confident. If you aren’t behind things, your team will sense that fast and not support it either.

Allow people to express their fear. Many times people just don’t want change because they fear how it will impact them. That’s a reality, don’t try to ignore it or sweep it under the rug. It may help to ask the question, “what’s the worst that could happen?” That often allows irrational fears to be put on the table that people may not be able to express any other way.

Sometimes, however, the change really is a negative to someone. They are losing their job, or the company is closing. At this time, it’s important to allow them to express their feelings and fears, and allow them the dignity of leaving on high ground. Leadership can help with this by being compassionate and understanding, yet firm in redirecting negativity to a professional response.

Most importantly, be honest with the people you lead. The saddest thing to see is a leader who loses their integrity when times are hard. It causes those you lead to lose faith in you, sometimes in themselves, and sometimes in the things they believed were true about the working relationships. Even worse, this kind of leadership can cause others to feel as if they are losing their own integrity because of the direction of the leader. I believe this happens when leaders operate in fear and are not forthcoming. Hold your head high and do all with integrity, no matter what the situation. In the end, it is worth it.

What about you? What are some good, or not so good, examples you have experienced of leaders leading change?

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