How to Avoid the Impatience Trap When Leading Change
As a leader, it's your job to clearly articulate and hold the vision for your team or organization. This is vital when you've found yourself leading a change process.
There is a trap, however, that leaders can fall into when leading change. I call it the "Impatience Trap". It's that feeling that everyone and thus everything is moving in slow motion. Even with a detailed timeline, you may find yourself feeling utterly trapped Why? Because human beings don't change, they transition. And transition takes time.
This is outlined in William Bridges' classic book Managing Transitions. Here's how the book opens:
"It isn't the changes that do you in, it's the transitions. Change is not the same as transition. Change is situational: the new site, the new boss, the new team roles, the new policy. Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Change is external, transition is internal."
Here are seven strategies to employ to help you avoid, or at least manage, the Impatience Trap:
Understand the difference between change and transition
As the quote above says so clearly, change describes the "what"; transition describes "how" those you lead will get there. When you confuse the two, the result can be impatience. Keep the difference between change and transition in the forefront. When reviewing milestones in the change process, be sure to visit both the change itself and the transition of those impacted by the change.
Give those you lead the time for transition
Impatience happens when you mismanage your expectations. Expect that those you lead will need time to adjust to the change. Some will adjust more quickly than others. And remember, it's likely that you've been thinking about and planning for the change for a longer time than those you lead. That means you've had more time to adjust, so be careful not to compare your timeline with theirs.
Embrace, rather than fight with, your own impatience
Impatience can lead to irritability and stress. And fighting impatience only creates more of that negative energy. With that kind of energy, it's difficult to lead at your best. Trying leaning into your impatience to learn what it's signaling. Is it signaling the importance of the vision? a need for better planning? more clarity? more resources? more buy in? Consider asking your impatience to partner with you rather fight with you.
Keep communicating
There's a saying about leaders and communication. "When you think you're communicating too much, you're probably communication about right." That's especially true during times of change. Accept that you'll be communicating the same message again and again. Once is not enough. Keep articulating the vision and reminding those you lead of their importance to the successful implementation of the vision.
Attend to those struggling
Anticipate that there will be those who struggle with the change. A sure sign that someone is struggling is that they say or ask something that doesn't seem to fit the circumstances. Attend to them by helping discover the source of their struggle. Are they concerned about their performance? being able to serve the client or customer? where they fit in to a new structure?
Acknowledge small steps
When you see progress toward the vision, acknowledge it. That may sound like "thank you" or "great work" or look like a note or small keepsake to mark the progress. Acknowledging small steps creates momentum to keep going.
Celebrate results
Rather than wait until the entire change process is completed, when a milestone is reached, build in celebration. Articulate what you're celebrating and give credit to those who participated in making it happen. Oh, and if things don't go as planned, celebrate what you've learned.
In this fast-paced business environment, it's likely that change is almost a continual process for you and that you may be leading multiple change processes. What strategy can you use today to help you avoid, or manage, the Impatience Trap?
About the Author
Gayle Ely is a Leadership Coach, Trainer and Facilitator who believes Passionate Leadership can change the world. She works with business and non-profit leaders and service entrepreneurs to help them perform more effectively so they and their businesses can thrive.
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