Most people who have been through difficult and very bad change efforts tend to draw bad conclusions when the first thought of change comes to mind. They become really suspicious of the motives of those calling for the change and worry about the repercussions (i.e., jobs loss and new management). Of course, this is not always the case but it is normal to feel that way. Actually all change is not bad and will not turn an organization upside down. Honestly, it could help significantly. Some people would like to believe that their company couldn’t be changed. Wrong! John P. Kotter of Leading Change states that change usually is associated with a multi-step process that creates power and motivation sufficient enough to take over all sources of inertia. This process is not executed effectively unless “high-quality leadership, not just excellent management”, drives it. Leadership is about motivation and communication with others, which is exactly what is needed to drive a major change within an organization. Today things are changing with the economy so rapidly that companies seem to not have the time to catch up. The secret to staying ahead of the learning curve is to prepare your team for the change and give them as much information as possible. Do not allow many surprises. Nothing can kill the morale of a team more than them coming to work to find lay-offs taking effect and they did not hear it from you-the leader first. It is natural to be a little fearful of change, but as a leader you must embrace the change and see it as an opportunity to grow. Not just grow individually, but as a team.
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