Life and Career Skills

A key challenge for any organization is to increase their ability to cope with continuous change. In order to survive in the future, we need to manage the rapid and constant changes we are facing by influencing people’s effectiveness.

Change offers both opportunity and uncertainty. How you manage yourself and your team will make all the difference between whether changes are effective or not.

Given that individual behaviours affect organisational performance, the guidelines outlined below will help you deal with change in your role as a coach.

1. Communication. Employees need a sense of purpose and direction. They need to be reminded not only of where the organisation is going but where it has come from, so there is a sense of valuing the past. They also need to understand and buy into the need for constant change.

Have regular meetings to discuss what you know about the proposed changes, and give a clear, consistent message.

Listen carefully to workplace interactions and determine information you can provide that will dispel rumours.

Keep an open door policy and be willing to speak to individuals who are anxious about the proposed changes.

Seek out information from senior management in order to understand the significance and purpose of the proposed changes

2. Recognition. Employees need to sense that their work is recognised. Set clear milestones and celebrate successes. That’s part of revitalising people. One way is to get them more involved in a wider range of change activities than before. Another is to invest in social events. Think about ways in which you can give people a sense that their work life is fun and interesting.

3. Stability. Not everything will need to change. Coaches need to stabilise what does not need to change and inform people that what’s working well will be left alone.

4. Balance. Devote time and energy into making work-life balance policies truly effective.

5. Self-Management. People themselves need to become more self-managing - and not see themselves as victims. They need to increase their self awareness and develop career resilience. Make employees aware of how they express their emotions and how their communication, body language, speech and behaviours impact the overall group. Admit up front that there may be a temporary increase in pressure or workload impacting employees and that Fido is willing to work in making a transition as acceptable as possible.

Encourage employees to dissipate stress in a productive manner by doing more of the things they enjoy, like exercising, volunteering, spending time with family. Perhaps most importantly, coaches must help employees understand that they ultimately have control over their lives and that allowing emotions to control decisions can be detrimental.