Ways to Help Staff Move Through the Stages of Change Productively
Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. As Japanese professor Shibutani
once said, “You had better keep your employees informed, or they will make
it up, and it won’t be flattering.” Tell staff everything they need to
know to feel “in the loop” about what’s happening. Failure to do this can
leave you stuck in stages 2 and 3 for far too long.
Involve staff in the process—through advisory boards, task forces and
focus groups. Send a clear message that change is not something being done
“to them” but “with them.”
Be able to articulate the benefits. Former SAI Director Dr. Troyce Fisher
puts it this way—“People don’t resist change, they resist loss.” Be able
to articulate for people how this change will ultimately benefit them.
Fewer preps? More opportunities to collaborate with peers?
Reorganization is typically driven by dollars (or the lack thereof).
People need to understand what it means for kids if changes aren’t made.
(This goes “double” for community members.) We all have to understand that
it’s not about us—it’s about kids.
