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