Most people will tell you they like change, but the reality is that many of them are afraid of it. They like the certainty of the status quo and get anxious about the unknown. But if yesterday’s message was correct, companies that ascribe to continuous improvement need to address this anxiety and the resistance it creates. Before you get too far into the kinds of improvement you want, complete a scan of employee perspectives and perceptions, understand their interests and concerns, prepare a communications plan that educates them fully, and seek their feedback and input. What might seem appropriate or obvious to you is best tested. And don’t overlook the natural “what’s in it for me” reactions that you might find. Consider holding focus groups, creating feedback loops, and engaging employees in the planning process. Cities have representative government, universities have student senates, homeowner’s associations have participative bylaws, and companies have collective bargaining agreements – these are the models against which employees view management expectations of engagement. If you want your employees to be engaged, give them appropriate forums in which to do so. Consider the examples above as examples of thinking that help people to see change as an opportunity, not a threat. If you want employees to get behind innovations that are good for your business, make them part of the process today.
Steven Paul Jobs (1955 – 2011): American businessman, inventor, and investor best known for co-founding the technology company Apple Inc.
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