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Managing Change By Listening Hard to Feedback

Guest post by: Martin Haworth

Article Overview: Managing change brings moments of challenge, that's for sure. And it can be tough trying to get it right each step of the way. Remembering that your people are an asset that can be utilized - in more ways than one - is an opportunity not to be missed.

Managing Change By Listening Hard to Feedback

Think of your employees as the extended eyes and ears of your business or organization. They can supplement your role as a manager in so many ways - when you are relaxed enough to let them. Indeed, having such an array of support is a marvellous resource for any manager. One of the biggest challenges you will have as their leader, is to let them help you; to be prepared to ask for their input. By doing so you enhance their sense of contribution. When you do so and use encouraging language to recognize their efforts, you meld a real team together, often with outcomes that will create amazing possibilities.

By using them to help you get it right, change management becomes so much easier.

There are many opportunities to get others involved. Whilst it may be some way down the track, asking your people what needs to change to enhance the team performance is the ultimate goal. On the path to that there are many opportunities to get them used to contributing actively.

Apart from seeking advice, ideas and support in the 'how' of delivering change - the actual mechanics where your people really can make the difference - one of the best ways to ensure that you are directing them appropriately is to ask for feedback.

'Appropriately' here is that you are wanting to be sure that the activities you propose will actually work; that as the change program progresses, there will be few problems; that actions taken are likely to provide the outcomes that you want - indeed expect.

Feedback is a gift they give you when you are open for it. By asking for feedback, openly and respectfully, you will have five, ten or a hundred eyes and ears that will help you ensure success when managing change.

For it to be successful, it's vital for you to take the time to listen and take in feedback without criticism or argument. The key is to seek and use feedback as a fact-finding exercise. A sense-checking of your ideas where they can tell you what they think.

of course, there will be a plethora of information, ideas, opinions and attitudes that you will have to sift through to get to the bottom of what is real and objective. Asking for a hundred lots of feedback will, inevitably, mean they will be very varied.

Yet the value of feedback, once they are clear how you want it given - objective, honest, realistic and open - is immeasurable.

Of course how you choose to use it during your creation and implementation of change management programs and activities really is up to you.

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Article Tags: change management, engaging employees in change, leading change, managing change, organisational change, organizational change, workplace change



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