Adaptability is integral to success in business. The companies that have stood the test of time have evolved through the ages, becoming reflections of society itself. The best leaders are those who can adapt to succeed in any situation. Businesses often go through transitional periods and changes that require a flexible team that is willing to trust their leader. Leading others through change is a challenge, but keeping your team together to grow stronger through times of hardship can bond your staff together.
1. Vision Alignment
If you plan on leading your team through changes in your business, it’s important to make sure everybody is on the same page. This doesn’t mean simply alerting employees to upcoming changes, it means taking measures to prepare employees for the changes and to help them understand why those changes are necessary. Regardless of whether or not a staff member agrees with company decisions, he or she has to continue putting forward the maximum effort in his or her job. Another aspect of vision alignment is neutralizing the influence of those who work against changes.
2. Declare Advantages
It’s hard to lead a team through change if they don’t have a comprehensive understanding of why. Finding the hook will help hype team members to embrace change instead of dread it. Declaring the advantages that apply not only to the business, but to the employees themselves, is essential to success in maintaining a happy team. Beneficial changes can come in a variety of forms — streamlined point of sales, improved accuracy in commission tracking, or increased pay, just to name a few.
3. Ease into Change
When making changes to your business, try to plan out your steps in lieu of rushing into them. From a leader’s perspective, change may seem clear cut and simple, but on the employee level, it can create problems that echo throughout the workplace. Ease of use is also important on the other side of business. Customers should have a clear understanding of what has changed when they visit your storefront or website.
4. Do the Math
Speculative business decisions with no mathematical backing are a serious gamble — and not one you should be willing to take. Ingenuity and innovation account for a large portion of business success, but there’s no denying the raw numbers and mathematics that essentially spell out success or destruction. There’s also no better evidence for a skeptical team than a numbers sheet that puts you in the black. Consulting companies can also help solve some of the less traditional equations used to solve the most important business questions.
5. Identify Key Players
The best leaders have had solid help. Identifying key players on your team to facilitate your own ends is essential to successfully leading your team. These employees can connect with other workers in a less polarizing way than meeting with the boss. Further, they can convey ideas on a less hierarchical level.
Leading a team through change takes patience, vision, persuasion, and compassion. A team that grows together can do amazing things over time, but it takes a well-rounded leader to tap into this latent potential.
Image via Flickr by Baltic Development Forum
