Have
you been trying to dig a new path in a different direction, asking people to
come with you, and struggling to maintain your motivation and energy?
Bringing
about change takes time, so if you finding yourself getting caught up in the
detail, losing yourself and your enthusiasm, it’s time to take a step back.
And
sometimes break through can come at unexpected times and in unexpected ways,
being able to see those opportunities can bring all that toil to fruition.
So here
are some tips to help reflect on where you've got to and where you're going.
1. Focus on
individuals
How
well do you know the people you’re working with? How about the people you lead?
Understanding
what motivates a person, what they value and what their strengths are and how
this links them into the changes will help you both see the contribution they
can make in the new direction you’re all taking.
Are
there new opportunities for individuals?
When
you’re leading change, it can create opportunities for people to move into
roles that are a better fit for their skills and strengths.
It
may also create a desire to retain people you know and trust to help you
deliver the changes across the group, department, organisation. Yet there are
times when the changes may not necessarily work for them, which can cause
tension and a dilemma – to help someone seek other opportunities, when you are
relying on them to support you through the changes. By supporting individuals to
identify and follow their path, you’ll be working to bring out the best in them
and the opportunity to work with new people who will be able to offer different
perspectives on how you move forward.
2. Keeping a view on the wider system
It
can be easy to get lost in the detail.
It
can also feel like the goal posts keep moving. That the place you thought you
were heading to suddenly disappears from view.
And
simply keeping the whole thing going in the right direction feels overwhelming.
Are
you a visual person? Or perhaps it’s words and phrases you’re drawn to?
Find
a way to illustrate where you’re aiming for, that is quick and easy to relate
to, a simple reminder for yourself and others.
Make
time for regular reviews on progress.
- What’s
changed since the last review?
- What’s
changed externally to us?
- How
do we integrate the external changes to the internal changes we’re making?
- Are
we still heading in the right direction?
Are
you connected to the right people?
Changes
happen across a system, an interconnected web. As you lead change
- How
strong are your connections across that web?
- Have
you lost connections?
- What
new connections can or should you build?
Making
sense of the whole
A
focus on individuals, a view on the wider system, keeping everything going can
feel simply too much to contain and maintain.
- Who
are you working with who also has a vested interest in making this a success?
- Who
can help you see things from different perspectives?
- Who
can help you step outside, re-charge and re-energise?
3.
Gratitude and Celebration
Don’t
forget to celebrate! Whatever steps you’ve taken, they’re steps forward. And
marking movement forward can help everyone recognise the changes that have
happened, and keep momentum.
And if
individuals have moved on to new roles, thanking them and acknowledging their
contribution will help people feel valued and respected whether they remain or
pursue other opportunities.
Seek
to enjoy the journey, the challenges you overcome and the progress you make.
Destinations may change with time, it’s the path you make that you’ll remember
and learn from.
