How to get your teams on board with change

Stagnation is the worst enemy of an organisation’s growth. Hence, change is important as it helps your company get out of its most comfortable bounds and toward the next step of its evolution. Accepting that change will and must happen prepares your team to adapt to this inevitability, allowing you to take calculated risks that leverage change and steer your business in the right direction. 

5 ways to get your team on board with change

Introducing change into your organisation – be it something as simple as schedule changes or something as big as a merger – requires everyone to get on board for things to work. According to Dr. Margie Warrell, here are some proven methods great leaders do to ensure their team gets to face change together. 

1. Start with why.

Fear often stems from what people don’t know. As such, it helps that you thoroughly explain why certain things must change in your organisation. Help your team understand what is coming to prepare them for what’s inevitable and open them up to willingly work with you to ensure a smooth transition. 

2. Take the lead.

Taking on change means facing risks that may hurt your reputation and business. This requires courage, and true leaders demonstrate this as they lead their team through the transition by example. Doing so emboldens the employees who look up to them, allowing them to lead their team and make them instrumental in the overarching goal of growing the organisation. 

3. Acknowledge the uncertainties.

There is always fear of any possible impacts of change, and the least you can do is acknowledge these anxieties. Looking ahead with change looming on the horizon is much easier when people you look up to recognise your fears and empathise with you. 

4. Communicate what changes – and what doesn’t.

Communication is key as you embrace change. While we’ve mentioned earlier that you should talk about the reasons for whatever change is coming, you should not stop there. Talk about what things will change, as well as the impacts they will bring in the process. Additionally, you will also need to communicate what will remain the same. Doing so delivers a sense of continuity, coherence and consistency, helping eliminate fears and uncertainties and giving your team assurances that will help them brave the change. 

5. Encourage positive risk-taking.

Even before any major change kicks in, it will help that you create a team culture that encourages and rewards risk-taking behaviour. Help your team understand the importance of taking a step towards change, even if it does not deliver the results that they want. Give them a gentle nudge to step out of their comfort zones while reminding them to take smart risks and incentivising boldness with more than just a pat on the back. 

Embracing change as a team

An organisation can only grow if it faces change as one. It is thus important that you make everyone feel safe even as you communicate the changes and their associated risks, taking the lead and giving due encouragement as you go.