Change professionals can be tempted to think they're responsible for how, when and whether their large corporate client accepts change.
Working alongside projects, we can become the conscience of the project: sometimes prompting a Project Manager to examine better fitting solutions, sometimes asking team members to work more collaboratively, often wishing colleagues would showcase better change behaviours. And sometimes we work with sponsors or stakeholders who are firmly resistant.
Hectic change programs can leave the change professional feeling like they only have two choices: absorb poor behaviours, or move on to the next opportunity.
Check Your Beat Up Resilience
How does a conscientious change professional reflect on their own performance in the face of stringent resistance? Do we beat ourselves up, reminding ourselves that we're meant to be changing this organisation one person at a time? Does our resilience suffer when we do?
Do we ask the unanswerable question - how can I help senior stakeholders to change when they just don't want to align with their organisation's strategy - and they're holding the keys? Of course we do!
But sponsoring the change - or owning the reasoning behind it - isn't in our job description.
Naturally we steer, support, promote, manage, innovate and do everything we can to embed. But we're not responsible for what the change is. That's the sponsor's job.
Intense pressure under scrutiny, when the stakes are high
Change managers and leaders often face intense pressure due to the inherent challenges of steering organisations through transformation. They're responsible for navigating complex dynamics and competing interests. The pressure intensifies when delivery becomes urgent and timelines constrained.
The human element of change management can provoke emotional reactions in an environment where success is often directly linked to clarity of communication. The scrutiny from stakeholders, coupled with the expectation for tangible and positive results, creates a high-stakes environment that puts change managers and leaders under significant stress.
The success or failure of the change initiative is often seen as a reflection of their leadership and strategic decision-making, intensifying the pressure they experience.
The most significant pressure can be the expectations change managers and leaders put on themselves. Driven by responsibility and passion to lead others through the change, they may feel a personal obligation to meet deadlines, stay within budget, ensure that change initiatives are seamlessly integrated and to strive for perfection.
Upholding high professional standards while managing tricky stakeholders in difficult, changing environments over a prolonged period can lead to stress and burnout, including dire physical symptoms.
So, Yeah, we're still talking about resilience
Change managers and leaders play a pivotal role in navigating the team through the transition. When the work becomes really difficult, emotions can heighten and maintaining resilience becomes crucial for the sake of the individuals in the team and for success of the change program.
Ongoing challenges, resistance and unforeseen obstacles require a resilient mindset to enable change leaders and managers to adapt and lead effectively while maintaining perspective about the lines of accountability. Mastering an understanding of the information negative emotions can provide - both our own emotions and those of others - helps to move the field of engagement from reactivity to rational responsiveness.
Personal resilience empowers change managers and leaders to cope with stress, learn from setbacks, and sustain high performance amidst uncertainty. By prioritising well-being, change leaders and managers can model the behaviours that foster a positive work environment and build towards the successful implementation of organisational changes.
Agencia Change has developed a unique training offering that supports professionals to understand the value of unpleasant emotions. Beating the Beat Up provides a deep resource to support you when dealing with difficult stakeholders and environments.
We are an approachable, online change and communications agency offering practical tools, resources and solutions for individuals, professionals, leaders and organisations to succeed in managing change.
For more: agenciachange.com
Comentarios