What is the Significance of Commitment in Change Processes?
Hardly a day goes by without business news reporting on upheavals that are either on the horizon or have already begun. This is not only due to the megatrend of artificial intelligence and the massive financial investment associated with it. Rather, the push toward more transnationally competitive behavior is driving many companies to reevaluate their organizational structures and investments. Possible responses to this include increasing specialization, new partnerships, the divestiture of existing business units, or corporate mergers.
Regardless of the specific response in each case, substantial changes for employees are preprogrammed. A review of the relevant company announcements reveals frequent references to current challenges, global dynamics, and the need to secure results. And this all in line with the company’s values. However, the exact implementation of these measures and the resulting consequences for employees often remain unclear for too long. Consequence: Employee motivation and engagement — that is, the very factors that are supposed to drive the desired changes — decline. The resulting gap is usually filled by office gossip, which in turn serves as primary source of information for newly emerging informal groups. In consequence, the door to widespread uncertainty stands widely open.
So how can managers design such change processes without jeopardizing the commitment of their teams or team members?
Based on coopartner’s experience, it is particularly important to consider the following points:
Build trust credibly: When a leader demands “trust” from their own team solely through appeals, it is usually a (poorly disguised) demand for obedience. Trust in the true sense of the word must be earned by a leader anew every day through his/her team-oriented, concrete actions. Where clear answers are still lacking or his/her own assessments do not align with official communications, leaders should openly share this with their team while still providing reliably updates on the ongoing information process.
Tailor Communication to Interests: Good leadership communicates early, concretely, and regularly: What is certain? What is still open? What impacts are foreseeable? Where are opportunities for further input? Where is there internal dissent? Good communication is not limited to multilingual bulletins. Rather, it means first listening, trying to understand the team’s perspective and interests, and responding seriously to their feedback. This is also a sign of whether a manager lives up to his/her role as a role model for the team members.
Facilitate participation transparently: Involving the team early-on leverages their existing knowledge and strengthens the sense among all participants that they are part of a shared endeavor. Being able to develop and thoroughly consider options creates room for maneuver. Even potential personal challenges can then be specifically identified and discussed in a solution-oriented manner.
Of course, there are other factors that can also play a significant role in change processes (e.g., own competences or willingness to take risks). However, the aforementioned points are the ones that regularly yield the greatest advances when implemented correctly.
