In our daily lives, both personal and professional, we encounter change when we need to improve and we fear change because we don’t know what will happen. Will these new strategies give us the ROI we’re looking for, or will we lose money trying? How will our team react to the change? The fear of change combines a number of fears we’ve talked about: the fear of the unknown, the fear of criticism and the fear of failure. Here are ways you can tackle change in your life and with your team.
Go slowly.
If the change is not needed immediately, work your way towards the change. If you’re changing a work process, make slight changes every week to help you and your team adjust. Add a little more to the plate before the full result is requested. Going cold turkey on the first day of change can backfire quickly.
Involve others in the process.
If the change affects numerous people or your whole team, give them a chance to voice their concerns and opinions before implementation starts. People respond better when they can contribute to the decision. They resist being changed more than the change itself. As this Harvard Business Review article suggests: define the outcome, suggest a solution and allow others to propose a different solution for the desired outcome.
Forget the “what ifs?”
Our minds tend to fixate on the worst-case scenario when we approach change. Yes, it is smart and logical at times to consider all outcomes because the future of the company depends on it, but sometimes these are just extra stresses and worries we put on ourselves that only waste our time and energy. You have to take risks in order to grow.
Understand and Acknowledge.
Make sure you and your team are okay. Acknowledge that the change will take some time to get used to but that the ultimate goal is worth it. Talk it out and compromise on how everyone can adjust to the change. With the team in it together, change will have a great, positive impact on your business.
How do you approach change?
Looking for more about entrepreneurial fears? Check out the links in this blog post.
