OVER the past week, a lot has changed in Malaysia.
The political landscape, our appreciation of the rural-urban divide, the significance of Sabah and Sarawak and so on.
What is clear is that there is a necessity for wide-ranging reforms in our system of governance. This also means that citizens will have to deal with change in many aspects of life.
As the government alters its course, there will be a seismic administrative change. And, whenever organisational culture shifts, old ways get transformed.
This happens at workplaces, too, when a new chief executive officer arrives, or if the stakeholders opt for new direction a company. People tend to struggle with any transformation or change.
To be "fit for purpose" in your respective jobs, I recommend that you ready yourselves for change at any time, in your respective companies.
Change is always an unavoidable part of life. However, for most people, change and the resulting difficulty are very tough to negotiate. At your workplace, adjustments can come abruptly, and they could possibly alter your lifestyle, and perhaps even your entire career.
When a new boss arrives, I expect that some of you fear losing your jobs, or getting transferred to unfamiliar positions. At times like this, you might find yourself dealing with heightened levels of angst, uncertainty, anger and job stress.
In my time as a management consultant and executive leadership coach, I have come to realise that the only way forward is by mastering fear, not resisting the change, and not being overwhelmed by the challenges.
It is incumbent upon organisations to empower management teams and employees with the necessary skills to effectively manage changes at the work-place. If you strategically prepare yourself, you will perform better, regardless of what changes you might face.
For organisational leaders, I suggest three strategies that will help you.
The first is to prepare your managers. You must assist your managers understand the emotional nature of the change, and provide them with the tools to address issues that will arise.
This means that you need to offer strong leadership that determines how your team will perceive these changes, how they react to others, and how well everyone collaborates together under trying conditions. Very few organisations provide training on managing change.
This usually leaves managers unprepared, and having to deal with the fallout on their own.
Next, be real and recognise emotions. You need increased levels of empathy. And, you will need to help increase "emotional intelligence" across the board in your organisation.
The perception that the top management is aware that their team is dealing with tough emotions is vital. This will help your people realise that allowing their emotions to control decisions can be detrimental.
And the third approach is that you need to focus on constant communication.
Many leaders tend to go into self-preservation mode by staying silent in the face of adversity. This is a very bad move. Gossip thrives during challenging times, and your silence will allow the rumour-mill to go into overdrive.
You must keep everyone updated on decisions. Speak to people directly, or constantly keep everyone in the loop via communiqués.
This becomes a real high value task for you. You need to make your team feel that they are a part of the process of change.
For employees, I also offer three tactics to cope with dramatic changes at work.
The first is that you must force yourself to maintain a positive attitude, and accept that change is constant. Quickly understand that your new situation might not be ideal, but obviously, your previous situation probably wasn't either.
Throughout your career, you may have already dealt with changes in your job. If you haven't, be sure that it will happen at some point. Change comes whether you like it or not. This is the reality. Focus on the fact that change always presents you with new opportunities.
Next is for you to understand the emotions associated with change at the workplace. This helps you cope better. I always ask the people I coach to research the "Change Curve", which is a powerful model used to understand the stages of organisational change.
Understanding the emotions associated with change, and the transitions involved, will help you cope. It will show you where and why you are on the curve. It will also give you the knowledge that everyone experiences similar emotions during change.
The third strategy is that you must remain flexible throughout the process. Finding balance is important. You don't want to become the office doormat, or just accept things that you truly don't believe in.
However, you must accept a certain amount of compromise that is a natural consequence of changes at the workplace. If you refuse, or resent everything that comes your way, I suggest you start looking for a new job.
In your organisations, just like in Malaysia, whenever there is a change of management or direction, it's best if you have agility, adaptability and purpose in dealing with those changes.
The writer is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller 'So, You Want To Get Promoted?'
