Communicating the Need for Change

Nearly every organization throughout the world today is experiencing some type of disruption. Change within your organization that results in increased sales, improved efficiencies, or lowered costs may be important outcomes, but they are not typically things that will inspire your team to be motivated about change.

So what does inspire others through change and disruption?

Think about a time you felt fully committed and engaged with a change. Maybe it was a move, a new job, a new phone, or a new way of eating. It could be something you initiated, or maybe it was something initiated by someone else.

Inspire Commitment and Engagement

There are several ways to inspire commitment and engagement with change. Let’s take a look at a few now.

People grab hold to a vision, a purpose, a cause that stirs up an emotional response. Martin Luther King is best known for the way he inspired people and created a movement as a result of his famous speech. That speech began with “I have a dream!” Imagine how different the reaction might have been had he started his speech with “I have a strategic plan.”

When you give your team a sense of purpose and meaning, they are able to put their hearts into their work. They become energized and have a greater sense of ownership. When it comes to engagement, people don’t care about working for a company. They want to work for a purpose.

Communicating the need for change starts with WHY. Help your team understand the driving force behind the change and give them a dream for the immediate future.

And finally, be authentic. If you withhold information about why change is needed, your team members will sense it and they will create their own story – quite possibly a story that isn’t true. Communicate often and encourage your team members to ask questions directly to you.

Engage your team to discover what energizes them about the future. Don’t worry about coming up with a plan just yet. Use the time to connect, dream, and share ideas.

As you prepare to communicate the need for change, take time to consider what you would like to see nine months from now. What are people saying? How do your customers feel? How does your staff feel? What positive growth are you seeing?

Why do these things matter to YOU?

Why do these things matter to YOUR TEAM?

Why do these things matter to YOUR CUSTOMERS?

Set aside some time to share your initial thoughts with someone else who is not closely connected to the situation. Solicit their feedback. Would they feel inspired by what you are communicating if they were on your team?

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