Recently I was working with a team going through major structural and systematic changes within the organisation. As human beings, we are wired to resist change, but of all the constants in life, change is one of them in a personal and professional sense.

People have a preference to change, some like things to stay the same, some like things to evolve, and some people like high change and difference. There is no wrong or right but a good idea to understand your preference to change and where others in your team sit.

This team I was working with was challenged with dealing with the changes they were facing; morale was low, productivity flailing and no one was focussed on the right things. You see, people if comfortable with change usually embrace “known” change and think they have accepted what is needed.

In fact, I believe more people need to embrace “unknown” change where things aren’t comfortable but where they are required to be brave. How one does this requires a focus on two things: reason and motivation.

The reason is all about knowing the why of the change. People need to know what’s in it for them, how they fit into the big picture, not just the “why” of the organisation. Too often, I see leaders so entrenched and involved in the change that they get used to the idea and then when announcing changes to their team wonder why people are resistant and baffled.

Always look at the change from your teams perspective

Think about how you felt when you first decided on or were told of a certain change. You have had time to process this change, what are the means for you and the business as a whole. When announcing the change share how you felt, the journey you have been on and your involvement.

Bring the “human” piece into the equation, be empathetic and real. Explain the “why” of the change as we all see things from different perspectives based on where we are at, experience, references, and so much more. Remember the way you see something is not the same as the next person.

“I gave you $10

He gave you $20

You felt that he was better just because

He gave you more

But he had $200

And all I had was $10.”

UM-Unidentified Motivation

With motivation contributing up to 65% of your predictability of success in a role, it baffles me as to how many people don’t know what really motivates them and those around them.

I call this UM, unidentified motivation. In any role, imagine how powerful it would be to know what really lights you up and those you lead. By identifying motivation, you can assist in driving and satisfy this as opposed to guessing what motivates others and simply managing this.

We use a brilliant tool that maps motivation, but outside of this, simply get your team together and brainstorm what really lights them up. I always ask

If there was one part of your role, you had the freedom to do all week what would that be?

Maybe it’s the customer interface, or perhaps you love reporting? By knowing what lights, you up, the things that give you a spring in your step, you can tap into this and leverage the strengths of those around you.

Unidentified motivation can cost your organisation a lot. The statistic shows that motivation is one of the keys to a high performing team, a super team as I call it. Take a step back and really get to know and grow your people.

Renée