In the world that we live in, the only constant is change… you’ve probably heard this a hundred times!

Change at various scales really is happening all around us all the time. This could involve significant changes, like large organisational restructuring, implementing a new IT system, reorganising team structures, or smaller micro changes.

As a leader or manager how we approach change for ourselves and our teams can be the difference between great performance and colleague wellbeing.. or the opposite?

External influences that come into play when we consider change

External influences on a business and managers can be understood using the acronym VUCA, which stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous.

• Volatility refers to situations that are unstable, potentially dangerous, or unpredictable, such as a pandemic, war, or civil unrest in a country, all of which can directly impact the economy, markets, supply and demand and our workforce.
• Uncertainty is when we can't predict or guarantee an outcome. This could involve scenarios like fluctuations in financial markets and interest rates, a change in political power, or other external factors beyond our control.
• Complexity is when something is difficult to analyse, understand or solve. While some problems are considered "tame" because there is a process already there to solve them, “wicked” problems arise when complexity is high and there is no clear blueprint or prior experience to rely on. In these cases, new approaches are required to navigate the complexity.
• Ambiguity occurs when a situation can be interpreted in multiple ways, and it’s unclear what’s actually happening. There might be dual meanings or conflicting options (e.g. this could involve a paradox where there are two possible courses of action, but the best path forward is not immediately evident).

Ultimately for managers this means adapting to new ways of working, and facilitating new thinking.

How do we respond to change?

Change and transformation are driven not only by external factors but also by various internal factors within organisations and our personal lives. And, as humans, our response to change is largely shaped by our brain's ‘wiring’, which remembers all our past experiences and those passed down from our ancestors! This key part of the brain detects perceived danger or threats even before we are fully aware of them, triggering the familiar "fight or flight" response - a chemical reaction in our bodies - leading us to react accordingly.

In situations of uncertainty, where there are unknowns, our brains interpret it as a ‘threat’ and therefore our natural response to change isn’t always helpful. It’s typically how most humans react to change. When we believe ourselves to be under threat, we struggle to function productively. And prolonged periods of change and uncertainty can significantly impact both our personal state and the work we do, as well as the work of our teams.

How managers can support their teams during change and uncertainty

There are three strategies that we can use as managers to help our teams during a period of change or uncertainty.

1.      Emotional awareness

The first strategy is to foster emotional awareness within our team. We need to help people notice when their emotions, especially negative ones, begin to rise so that they can effectively acknowledge and address them.

Emotions serve a purpose. They help us understand what we are experiencing. They help us express ourselves. When we are equipped to recognise and express emotions, we can share them with others and engage in open conversations, allowing us to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.

As human beings, we are equipped to do this. Every emotion benefits us in some way. And a big part of being human and a big part of being a manager is to recognise those emotions and decide how to use them so we can benefit from them. It’s not about stopping the emotions, rather using them purposefully.

This is where the thought cycle comes into play, enabling us to look at what we are feeling, what we are thinking and question the thought (or feeling) and then effectively manage them and chose how we want to act. And the more we can equip our teams to do this - as well as ourselves – the more we can avoid conflict, relationships breaking down and unhelpful behaviours. (e.g. instead of saying “I'm angry”, we could say “I feel angry, and I believe the following factors are contributing to this emotion”).

Connecting to that element of emotional awareness is the importance of developing empathy as a manager. We need to be curious and demonstrate curiosity about our team's thoughts and feelings, rather than dismissing them. We need to be able to listen, be present, connect with them and acknowledge what we are hearing. At times, this requires vulnerability and a generous approach to listening. It is only by offering empathy and compassion that we can begin to build trust—a crucial element, especially during periods of change and uncertainty.

2.     Helping our team to build resilience and build a growth mindset

The second strategy focuses on helping our team to build resilience and cultivate a growth mindset. Real resilience is the ability to adapt during difficult or challenging experiences, rather the common misconception that resilience is about ‘bouncing back’. It’s really about being flexible and adjusting to change so we don’t fall over in the first place!

Embracing a growth mindset, as opposed to a fixed mindset, can significantly help us do this. Instead of saying “I can't do this”, we would say “I can't do this yet”. A growth mindset means that we are willing to learn new things, improve, and embrace change. Look at things differently and recognise our own ability to be resourceful, and support our team to do the same. This means we are able to have determination, focus and energy when times get tough.

3.     The importance of bringing a coaching style approach during change

The third strategy is about the importance of bringing a coaching style approach with our teams during times of change and uncertainty. Simply reassuring them that “everything will be fine” or telling them to "just get on with it" does not empower people or prepare them for the challenges ahead.

What is really important, as a people manager, is to create a thinking space for your team to share. We can do this by asking curious questions and communicating in a way that using a non-directive style rather than telling.

It's about:

• helping people recognise their own resourcefulness and equipping them with the skills they need to navigate change, so they can then use this as a tool when facing future challenges and uncertainties.
• helping them identify what is in their control and what is outside of their control, and then developing tangible actions for the aspects they can control.
• bringing to life a vision of what it is like for them on the other side of the change (e.g. what will be different and what will be better).

Last thoughts

As a manager, we need to help our teams identify their own blockers to successfully moving through change and support them to recognise the importance of emotions and how to use them positively. We also need to create a space for people to develop their resilience, their resourcefulness, and identify what they can do rather than what they cannot do.

If you want to find out more about this topic, you can find tips and ideas in our social media posts on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and in our newsletter in the coming weeks.

CAPE Coaching & Development equip, empower, and enable brilliant People Managers through development programmes, workshops and 1-2-1 coaching. Learn more by visiting https://wearyourcape.co.uk/.