Skills Library

Managing Change 

What this looks like:

  • Demonstrates ability to be flexible and adaptable in new and ambiguous environments while maintaining positivity and optimism; is comfortable with uncertainty and risk

  • Strives for a growth mindset, is resourceful and maintains productivity when making decisions without knowing all the details 

  • Understands continuous improvement and innovation are needed to stay relevant and competitive

  • Implements changes and rallies others onboard

On-the-job practice

  • Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Managing change requires deliberate planning and communication--everyone involved in the project must understand their specific roles and responsibilities. Note: it’s always better to give people a heads up rather than letting them find out later. No one wants to be the last to know!

    • Try this: Create a Communication Plan to help identify who needs to know what information and by when. Consider the answer to the following questions:

      • Who will be directly and indirectly impacted by this change? 

      • What does each party need to know?

      • Why do they need to know this information?

      • When do they need to know it?

      • How should they be informed?

      • How will they be impacted if I did not share this information?

    • Try this: It’s okay to show your vulnerability and not have all the answers for your employees. You can say something like, “I know it’s a bit uncomfortable at the moment because we don’t have all the answers. At this moment, all I know is X, and I’m not exactly sure what’s going to happen next, but I will keep you updated, and I know we will get through this together. In the meantime, I would love to hear your thoughts about this situation and answer any questions to help relieve some of your concerns.”

    • Try this: Identify your resistance to change and share that with your manager to open an opportunity for further discussion. You can say, “I understand that the reason behind the change is X, and at the same time, I am feeling Y about this change because of Z. Could you help me understand how we plan to mitigate Z?”

  • Ask clarifying questions. It’s best to ask questions earlier rather than later. Keep in mind that you don’t need to have all the answers or details to do your job well.

    • Try this: Sometimes, change is scary because you don’t know what to expect and was not given all the information to feel prepared for the change. You’ll have more psychological comfort once you understand the end goal, the benefits, and the impact the change has on you. You can ask your manager:

      • Can you help me understand the reasoning behind this change?

      • What do we hope to get out of this change?

      • How will this positively and negatively impact my roles and responsibilities?

      • What are the benefits of this change to me, the team, and the organization?

      • I’m finding it difficult for my team to buy-in to this change. What are your thoughts on what I can do?

    • Try this: If your manager has given you new instructions, ask for more context. Consider asking the following questions to your manager:

      • I noticed you wanted me to work on Project X, but our goals said Project Y is our focus. Can you help me prioritize my workload?

      • Is there a specific deadline you want Project X to be completed by?

      • Are there individual teams or stakeholders that I should collaborate with and get approval from? 

    • Try this: Weekly check-ins with your manager is a good time to do a pulse check and review agenda items. For each check-in, come prepared with a list of project updates and questions you may have and keep track of them on a Google Doc. Go through each line item with your manager to ensure you’re on the right track. You can ask, “Am I going about this project the way you wanted me to?” Remember that you’re always going to make mistakes and will learn from the experience. 

  • Lean into others. Change can be scary, especially if you’re doing it on your own. Understand that change is inevitable, but you don’t have to do it alone. 

    • Try this: Identify two business leaders you admire. Recognize that they’ve also faced elements of uncertainty and had to take risks. This exercise will require vulnerability. Reach out to them, share your concerns about the specific change, and ask for advice. You can explain to them your situation and ask, “What did you do when you were in a similar situation as me?”

    • Try this: Find champions and cheerleaders (who people admire) from different areas of the team or company who support the change. Encourage them to chat with employees who are resistant to change and share the information from the Communication Plan section (see above). Sometimes it’s not what you say but who says it. 

  • Develop problem-solving skills. This will give you a framework for your decision-making. 

    • Try this: Consider adopting the IDEAL model described in the book The Ideal Problem Solver, which breaks down problem-solving into the following steps: identify the issue, define the obstacles, examine your options, act on an agreed course of action, look at how it turns out and whether any changes need to be made. (This is different from the IDEAL model framework used to guide organizations with process improvement actions.)

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