Whether on the field or in the workplace, the way leaders communicate change matters. 

I still remember hearing a passing comment from my son’s travel baseball coach about an unexpected change that inadvertently shifted the dynamic from ‘team’ to ‘trouble.’ 

“We’re going to increase the team roster size for upcoming tournaments.” 

For an intact team that had been playing together for 5 years – now approaching their swan song of youth baseball – the tension was instant. By the time practice ended, the group chat was on fire, and most everyone felt wary.

Change creates uncertainty. But there are ways to mitigate the unease.

Here are 3 mistakes well-meaning leaders make. (The good news? They’re all fixable.)

Mistake 1: Explaining WHAT is changing without explaining WHY that matters to them.

“We’re implementing AI to streamline our processes.” Okay, but why can’t I just keep doing what I’m doing? 

The best change communication answers: here’s what’s changing, here’s why we’re doing it, and here’s what it means for YOU.

Mistake 2: Communicating change once and assuming everyone heard it the same way.

You announced it at the meeting and sent the email. You think you’re done.

But half your team was distracted. Others misunderstood. The rest are already in panic mode. Repetition might feel excessive, but it’s necessary.

Mistake 3: Waiting until you have everything figured out.

Leaders often think this is being responsible. But when introducing change, that approach can be shortsighted.

You don’t need all the answers; you need to have the humility to acknowledge you don’t. 

For our travel team, a little context and a frank conversation about the what, why, and how would have gone a long way to manage the mostly negative reactions that ensued. In the end, our expanded roster brought us a successful final season and, more important, a group of young men who still look back fondly on the memories of playing together.

I like to ask stakeholders three questions while consulting on any change management engagement. Their answers reveal a lot about whether an initiative will take root. I’ve noticed that the clients who have considered and asked these questions of their leaders engage in deeper discovery and are more prepared for the change journey.

Three Questions That Predict Whether Change Will Stick

If you’ve been impacted by change in Q1, you’re not alone.

My conversations with clients have covered navigating everything from organizational restructures to new system implementations to leadership transitions.

Change can cause upheaval. So, what can be done to minimize the disruptions that seem inevitable during transitions?

Here are 3 reflections on what I’m hearing and what’s working:

Takeaway 1: Middle managers are carrying more weight than anyone realizes.
Senior leaders announce the change. Individual contributors experience it. But middle managers? They’re tasked with translating strategy into reality while managing their teams’ anxiety AND their own.

→ The organizations that invest in equipping this group see dramatically better outcomes.

Takeaway 2: Communicate, communicate, communicate!
The organizations that are handling change well are focused on communication. Weekly updates, town halls, and even “we are still figuring this out” can help calm the waters. Providing multi-directional forums for not only communications but also conversations reap benefits.

→ Communicating consistently and frequently is more important than having the “perfect” message.

Takeaway 3: Resistance isn’t the enemy. Presence of productive resistance is a sign of progress, not failure.
In a recent conversation, a manager was thrilled that “no one pushed back” during the rollout of a major change. Three months later, adoption was at 30%. Silence seemed to indicate acceptance, but in truth, it was a sign that there was confusion and a lack of engagement.

→ Don’t fear healthy debate. It can equal real buy-in later.

How are you doing with your goals? Remember those plans for renewal and accomplishment you set for yourself back in January? If you’re like most, progress has been slow. With just a few simple set, you can set a new narrative on goal setting and make steady progress.  

Don’t Get Lost in the Sauce

Connecting through conversations is at the heart of much of the work we do at Day One Group. Recently, we have been thinking about where words of wisdom can be found in our everyday dialogue. With the right mindset of openness and vulnerability, we can learn quite a lot from the people we talk to and also gain unexpected insights from surprising sources. Are you welcoming wisdom? What kinds of conversations are you craving?

Words from the Wise

For many of us, the news and information we receive daily needs to have a healthy counter balance. If we’re not careful, we get trapped in a thought pattern that fosters doubt and despair. Make sure you are avoiding the trap.

Exiting the Echo Chamber

Reminding everyone to make the time to reflect on what you’re doing right in these unpredictable times. What are the strengths you are leveraging in order to stay resilient?

Remind Yourself of How Good You Really Are

DiSC Training: The New Olympic Sport

If you think the corporate office is the only place where communication styles training is all the rage, think again! Olympic athletes Kerri Walsh-Jennings and April Ross decided to take their game to the next level before going for Gold in beach volleyball at the 2016 Rio Olympics by taking the DiSC personality test. Once they were able to identify their behavioral styles and improve their communication, they noticed an immediate shift in their level of trust and teamwork on the court. Read more about how Walsh-Jennings and Ross used DiSC to learn that winning is a combination of talent, training and communication skills.

A New Beach Volleyball Partnership Faces its Toughest Test Yet