I'm the oldest of 3 daughters. During the semester my youngest sister went away to college, my other sister and I decided to visit so we could check out her new digs. This trip involved flying to New York City and finding my way from the airport to Grand Central Station where I'd meet my sister to take the train. After meeting up with our youngest sister, we'd take the shuttle to campus.
I was prepared for this trip - I'd coordinated with my sisters, consulted relevant maps and gotten detailed instructions on how to get from LaGuardia airport (LGA) to Grand Central Station from a local friend who was an NYC native. A co-worker dropped me off at the airport with plenty of time to spare. At the check-in counter, the agent informed me that due to a logistics problem there was no aircraft for our flight, but not to worry because a van had been ordered to drive us to a nearby airport. We'd have just enough time to get up there to hop on a different flight that would get us to LGA around the same time. Cool. Problem solved.
My fellow passengers and I shuffled out to the curb with our luggage to wait for the shuttle. As the minutes started ticking by, it soon became apparent that the shuttle wasn't going to arrive in time for us to make the other flight. So, we shuffled back into the airport with our luggage to figure out a new plan. In the end, I was booked on a flight with a different airline, scheduled to take off at the exact time I was supposed to be meeting my sister at Grand Central Station. OK, well, at least there's a plan.
This might be a good time to mention that this trip happened in the days before everyone had a cell phone. The sister I was meeting had stayed the night before at a friend's house somewhere in the City and I didn't have the contact info...plus she'd probably already left by then. I left messages with my parents and the sister we were going to visit to let them know what was happening in case she called. Then I crossed my fingers that she'd get the message.
When I arrived at LGA, I gathered my belongings and went in search of the shuttle company my friend had recommended using to get to the train station. It was nowhere to be found. (I later found out it had closed in the 3 months since she'd last used it.) I ended up splitting a taxi to Grand Central, where my sister was waiting for me - thankfully! After greeting me, she suggested that we explore NYC a bit and take a later train. My emphatic, "No Way! I'm getting on that train!", may not have been my finest moment.
Change fatigue had set in, and I wasn't in the mood for any more changes in plan. The truth is that on a good day, I wouldn't have been inclined to go exploring - while NYC is an energizing place for many, the mere thought of spending time there stresses me out - but I'd like to think I'd have responded more gracefully or been open to a discussion without change fatigue.
Frequent change is one consequence of living in a world where the flow of new information is constant. No sooner has a plan been devised or decision been made than new information comes in that offers a better alternative. As leaders, we're on the front lines of communicating change - sometimes change we initiate, often change we didn't initiate.
Change you Initiate
If you're the one initiating the change, it's going to be much easier to manage because you have all the information you need to answer the inevitable questions. When I'm initiating change, there are some things I take time to consider before communicating said change:
- How much change has the team seen recently? Understanding the team's appetite (or lack thereof) for change can help you formulate your messaging.
- Does the benefit of the change outweigh the re-work, swirl and angst that will be incurred? If you're in the midst of a slew of changes, sometimes the more prudent/efficient thing to do is to stay the course or delay the new change.
- What information can be shared about the rationale behind the change? I like to know the "why" behind what I'm being asked to do, especially when it involves pivoting from a seemingly good path. I've found that this is true for most people. If they understand the rationale for the change, they're more likely to get past potential struggles faster and get back to work. The handful of folks who don't really care about why tend to shrug their shoulders and move forward.
Change Initiated by someone else
Change initiated by someone else can range from no big deal to very sticky wicket. Even if you're lucky enough to have advanced notice, there will inevitably be questions for which you don't have the answers. I've been in situations where I'm hearing news of the change at the same time as my team, which is less than ideal. More often though, I have a little bit of warning with time to consider how the team will respond and what I can do to prepare:
- How do I feel about the change? Please take a moment to check in with yourself about how you feel about the change. If you haven't processed the change yourself, it's going to be extremely difficult to fully show up for your team.
- What questions will the team have about the change? There will always be questions. Anticipating them gives you an opportunity to seek answers if they are available or to formulate your response if answers aren't available. Sometimes there's additional information you can provide for situational awareness. Other times the best you can say is, "I have the same information as you."
- How is the team likely to respond to this change? If you're connected with your team, you'll likely have a general idea of how they'll respond. Maybe they'll have a gazillion questions, maybe they'll try to push back, maybe they just need to vent. Assessing the likely response puts you in the best position to support the team. Sometimes people come out of nowhere with an unexpected response - so aware that might happen as well.
Change in an inevitable part of life. As a leader, you'll deal with your fair share, and then some. Changes can range from a frustrating deadline change to an unexpected buyout to telling your team to work from home indefinitely due to a global pandemic. Let's not go through that last one again!
How have you historically managed change? How could you manage it better in the future? How well do you handle change? Is your team experiencing change fatigue?
I'd love to hear from you. Please comment below or send me a note via the Connect section of the home page.
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