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BUSINESS AND TRAINING
Nine steps to get your team through tough times
By Kate Zabriskie ( reprinted from plumbermag . com , February 2021 )
Constant change is the one thing you can expect in a business environment . Be prepared to handle any crisis thrown at you .
If there is one thing about business that does not change , it is that business will always change ! Be it through the advent of new technology , loss of a key employee , new laws that govern the way your industry does business , or the least likely event , a pandemic — as we learned last year . No matter what the change may be , the last thing your team wants to hear from you is : “ Ok , now what do we do ?”
An effective leader will need to lead his or her team through any change that should occur and do so with confidence to inspire others to be confident as well . The transition should be as smooth as possible and be done so in a way that looks as if the change were already expected .
Employees and contractors may feel unsure and fearful about any new direction a business may be taking or change they are forced to deal with ; so , as their leader , their cues as to how to act and how to feel will come directly from you . As such , it is important that you have a solid action plan in place to deal with just such a scenario .
Here are nine tips to help you when leading your team through uncertain times : 1 . Know that the path to the eventual goal is not always a linear one As a team is dealing with change in the workplace , it is not as simple as announcing it , adapting to it , and moving toward goals . Employees and even leaders may have changing feelings about the process and that is normal . Recognising and addressing these concerns as they arise is a healthy way to deal with them and is expected in a situation that may feel full of turmoil or even traumatic at times .
2 . Identify key leaders and stakeholders early in the process As the process of change begins it is important to identify those in your team who represent true leadership qualities . They can be seen as stakeholders in the process and support you in your efforts to lead the team through the change and onto greater success . These individuals will be crucial in helping to instil confidence and keep the team moving together toward the stated goals .
3 . Construct a solid plan Even small changes need a plan . That plan should address changes in processes , products and expectations of the people involved . If a change is drastic , you might have to construct an entirely new business plan . Creating a plan and sharing it with your team will go a long way toward giving them a feeling of stability as they move together in this new business environment .
4 . Identify goals clearly Failing to communicate clearly-defined goals is one of the worst errors people can make when leading change . If employees do not have a firm sense of what they are moving toward , they may end up just — moving . Clearly define objectives and how you will support your team in meeting them . Your key stakeholders as identified above will play a vital role here as they lead by example in making decisions and actions that support accomplishing these goals .
5 . Continually define and redefine the change , as necessary During a time of uncertainly , rumours abound . When your team does not know some aspect concerning the change at hand , they will begin to speculate . This can lead to confusion , worry and employees looking elsewhere for employment . The best plan of action is to be upfront and communicate with your team any information you have as you get it . Simply knowing what is going on will instil confidence and quell fears , even if the information is not all that good to begin with .
6 . Do not discount the past Oftentimes , changes mean discarding the old ways of doing things , and projects once seen as vital are “ kicked to the curb ” so to speak . This can leave those team members who worked on such projects feeling slighted and that their contributions were worthless . An effective team leader will highlight such projects and give credence to past accomplishments as jobs well done , while at the same time leading the team into the new direction .
7 . Do not hide the challenges There will be times when even an effectively-created plan will hit a stumbling block , or even come to a screeching halt . Do not hide challenges when they
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