Change at any level can be uncomfortable for employees. Employees are used to doing things a certain way, and change can disrupt their ways of working. This can often lead to resistance and even backlash in some circumstances.
Managing change can be challenging for people at the higher levels of the hierarchy. Yet, change management is undoubtedly one of the most crucial aspects of leadership. To be an effective leader, you have to manage change well.
To know more about change management strategies by Dionne Van Zyl, continue reading!
Managing Change by Dionne Van Zyl
There are several ways that leaders can manage change in organizations. Here are a few of the most important ones.
1. Establish a Clear Vision
In line with the company’s vision, changes must be made at different points in time. Leaders need to be very clear with the vision of the company. Not just that, but they also need to make sure that the other employees in the company are also aligned with the goals of the organization. Once they understand this, they can also understand why change is important. At the end of the day, it is all about the success of the organization.
2. Communicate Openly
Employees are always looking for clarity on things. It is when things are ambiguous to them that they feel very uncomfortable, and they also feel like their position is threatened. For that reason, leaders need to be very open when communicating. They must listen to the employees’ concerns and help them get answers to their questions. With greater clarity, it becomes easier for them to understand and accept change.
3. Support Employees
Dionne Van Zyl says that if employees struggle at any point with new ways of doing things, it is entirely the job of the leaders to help them out with it. They need to understand that it can take some time for employees to be fully comfortable with what they are being taught.
4. Track Progress
Leaders need to measure the company’s progress every time a change occurs to highlight how this positively impacts the company. This way, they can show the employees how well this works for the company. Dionne Van Zyl believes that employees will be more comfortable with new ways of doing things when they are on board with the idea and see visible progress.
5. Reward Success
Every time an employee does something commendable, they should be rewarded. When leaders reward employees and recognize them for their efforts, things work out much better. It motivates employees to do better and to give their utmost hard work to what they are doing.
6. Focus on Skill Development
Employees want to grow personally as well as professionally. If the change requires them to work differently, leaders should train employees and focus on skill development so that they can polish their skills and get better at what they do.
Final Words by Dionne Van Zyl
Using these change management strategies by Dionne Van Zyl, leaders can effectively manage change within an organization and bring out the best in employees.