Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.
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Companies are constantly changing. And whether the changes are big or small, leaders need to inspire their employees to embrace what’s new. Here are some ways to do that:
- Talk about how people feel. Change stirs up lots of emotions (fear, frustration, and anxiety, to name a few). Hold regular meetings for people to express what they’re worried about, and encourage them to be honest.
- Tell stories. Stories can be powerful examples of how people overcame challenges. Think about the challenges your employees are facing, and share stories that relate to them.
- Ask “What if?” questions. “What if we built our workflows from scratch — what would they look like?” “What if we were all freelancers — how would we solve problems differently?” Use change as a catalyst to rethink the ways things are done.
- Treat mistakes as learning opportunities. Everyone messes up, so encourage people to talk about how their mistakes have helped them grow. Build a culture that rewards employees for taking smart risks.
Adapted from “5 Ways to Help Your Team Be Open to Change,” by Edith Onderick-Harvey
Here’s a direct link to dozens of other Management Tips.
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