Change from the Trenches POV

I am always amused when someone describes their company making big changes as “trying to turn an aircraft carrier on a dime.” Well, amusement can turn to terror pretty quickly when the change is foisted on you!

I don’t know what it’s like for Millennials or Gen Z, but making a Gen Xer like me change the way they do things as the result of a general corporate edict isn't easy at all…kind of like turning an aircraft carrier.

Corporate edicts are often necessary, and more often than not, they are painful. But there is a right way and a wrong way to send them down the mountain: You can roll them down like boulders ready to squash the people below into submission, or you can take a more gentle approach: Think Moses bringing tablets down from Mount Sinai.

As someone reading this, you are more likely to be the one at the top of the mountain than not, and I understand that some mandates are simply unavoidable. Sometimes executives need to make tough choices about people and roles and whether they are still needed given the current economic situation. Other times, a new government or legal decision mandates a change.

In either and any case, from the rank-and-file perspective, the key is communication. Because the why is just as important as the what. Explain why the decision was made and share the reasoning – economic challenges, new goals, new regulations, etc. – to help everyone from new employees to seasoned veterans understand the big picture.

A recent blog from corporate communications specialist TechSmith sums it up: “Effectively communicating policy changes ensures that everyone understands and supports the changes. When employees understand, they are more likely to follow and adopt new policies.”