A LEADER’S GUIDE TO GUIDING OTHERS THROUGH CHANGE

Change is inevitable, right? But guiding others through it can be challenging. Whether leading family, friends, or employees, understanding the human side of change – transition – helps a lot.

Guide Yourself First

Before you can guide others, it’s essential to guide yourself. Think of it as putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others. Change happens to all of us, and it often throws us into the arms of transition. While managing the change itself requires effort and finesse, helping people adapt to the change requires a whole other layer of leadership and guidance.

So, take a moment to understand the change and how it affects you. Lead by example and operate in ways you want others to follow. When you guide yourself first, you’ll be better equipped to support and lead others through the transition.

What Can You Do When Guiding Others Through Change?

Endings – This phase is about letting go and getting ready for the change. As a leader, you can help others by:  

• Clarifying what’s happening and why by communicating frequently about the reasons behind the change, the goals of change, and how it benefits those affected.
• Making people feel valued and heard by listening and acknowledging their fears, nervousness and possibly anger prompted by the change.
• Helping people find closure on the old ways of doing things by celebrating the past and how far it took the organization.

Experimenting – This phase includes experimentation and is often coupled with uncertainty, confusion, and frustration. As a leader, you can help others by:

• Being inclusive by using the language of “we” as in “together we are going through this change and will learn new ways to do our jobs”.
• Making people feel more capable in the new ways through substantial resources like coaching, mentoring, and training.
• Encouraging contributions to the solution and learning through experimentation for feelings of greater competence and reduced anxiety.
• Extending the support network beyond yourself by encouraging teamwork, collaborative problem solving, and learning from peers.

New Beginnings – This phase is characterized by fully integrating the new path forward with a renewed sense of purpose. As a leader, you can help others by:

• Celebrating small and big wins of individuals, the team, and the organization along the journey to increase energy and motivation.
• Continuing support to keep people focused on the new ways of doing things and maximizing their contributions and capabilities.
• Keeping a spotlight on the new ways by communicating frequently about goals, milestones and progression.

Whether the people you are guiding are employees, family members or friends, remember that everyone moves through the transition journey at their own pace and faces unique challenges. As a leader, you’ll address the change as a team, but you’ll also want to connect with individuals to address their needs. So, embrace the journey, support each other, and celebrate every step forward.

What approaches have you used when leading change? Let’s learn from each other and keep the conversation going.  

Carol Bergeron guides people through major life transitions with a focus on self-reflection, visualization, and collaboration. She helps clients adapt to personal and professional changes, especially when shaping modern retirement lifestyles, which involve emotional, social, lifestyle, and health-related shifts converging all at once.

Learn more about navigating life’s transitions; explore upcoming small group coaching programs: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/bergeron-associates-13715940172#collections

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