AI has reached a tipping point, it seems. What was until recently “out there somewhere” is now infiltrating my daily work. It is interesting to see this change process in real time and observe the reactions that arise from it. As we confront our adaptation to AI, consider these organizational change tips for whatever change you are going through.
Own up – For most people, changes fire up our resistance muscle, especially when we see the downsides. There are always downsides but pay attention to what fears might be lurking underneath your insistence that everything will now go to hell in a handbasket. Remember the changes you have made in the past and how what seemed dangerous at the start may have turned out to provide opportunities for growth. With your team, it’s ok to own up to your concerns about the change and reassure them that you are going to keep an open mind to what is possible without taking your eye off the potential pitfalls.
Clean up – Use a change as a chance to clean house of redundancies and inefficiencies. Are you doing things that you have always done but which don’t add value? And where can you improve the effectiveness of your communication, a leadership skill needing constant vigilance? Clean up your listening skills in your communication toolkit to make sure you are hearing and addressing the concerns of the team.
Manage up – Successful change requires a team, at least in healthcare. Build an engaged team by highlighting the good in people in tangible ways. For example, you have a young new staff member who is agile with a technology, even if not ready for all the job skills yet. Speak up about their talents to others in a way that is affirming. Managing up is not the same as sucking up. Managing up is an intentional pursuit of seeing the best in others and finding a way to shine a light on it for the good of the other, not for oneself. People who are valued in this way are much more likely to help you bring the change about successfully.
Limber up – Being a leader requires us to be flexible and adaptable, and that takes some practice. Habits are helpful in learning new things, but habits can also get in our way if we become stuck. Try something new each day. Do something that scares you a little. Even little things, like driving home a different route, changing up your lunch routine, having a conversation with someone you never talk with at work – these little tweaks in daily routines keep our mental muscles more flexible and prepare us for more change.
Look up – Look up and ahead. What is your vision of the future? If we don’t have a vision for the future, we’ll get somewhere, but is it where we want to go? Try the exercise with your team of drawing a desired future, a culture you want to see in 3 years. What would be in the pictures? This vision, what Chip and Dan Heath refer to in their book “Switch” on leading change successfully, is like a “destination postcard.” It keeps our eye on the prize and reminds people of what the sacrifices are for. Look ahead also to identify some quick wins so that you don’t have to wait 3 years for feedback that you are on the right track. Identify relatable data points that you and your team can track on your way to the desired future.
Prop up – Like your own fears, recognize that what looks like resistance from your team is often fear. Fear of failure, incompetence in the “new” way, loss of some kind - team, options, even their livelihood. You can’t promise there won’t be loss because in every change, something is gained and something is lost. But you can prop up your team with a focus on the opportunities, and a commitment to support them as they go through the transition. This means making sure you provide the actual time it will need to offer education and skill building which are too often minimized in a change effort.
Move up – Promote those who are nimble at change and do things the new way. These early adopters are your informal leaders and they can help you as superusers or project leads. They can also facilitate identifying the barriers getting in the way on the front lines so that you can clear their way.
Heat up – If a change is not urgent, we may get to it but the more urgent priorities will override it. Help people recognize why the change matters. Learn what the competition is doing. Point out what is at stake if you do not keep up with the change. Manage the “heat” by creating urgency, not anxiety, by driving home the importance and having a plan.
Lastly, Zen up – Keep breathing. Changes like AI may seem daunting, even impossible to manage. But so did putting in the electricity grid when it was new. One step at a time.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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In Jo Anne's current role as Organizational and Workforce Development Senior Manager at the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC) her aim is to offer to leaders straightforward tools and inspire the courage to use them. |
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Lead the Way in Five Minutes A Day: Sparking High Performance in Yourself and Your Team, by Jo Anne Preston is currently available for purchase.
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