When a major change takes place in a company (such as the appointment of a new CEO, a strategic restructure of an organization, a turnaround or a major acquisition), it is important to understand and build a network of relationships that support the leaders’ success.
As team members grapple with a major change, they typically fall into three groups: Supporters, Resisters, and the “Mushy-Middle”. Supporters tend to go along with the change because they realize it’s needed to improve business, or they respect the new leader. Resisters, on the other hand, may oppose the change because they feel it threatens their position, makes their skills obsolete, or they fear their opinions are out of sync with the new vision.
To get the company on board with the change then, it’s important to focus your attention on the Mushy-Middle, who can be persuaded or influenced to embrace the new change. The other reason why you should focus on this group is because 80 percent of the team typically falls under this category, with the remaining 20 percent divided among supporters and resisters.
When you recognize those people who are flexible, creative and can grasp the new “big picture” with a “can do” attitude, the organization positions itself on the fast-track to success. Positive feedback builds morale and motivation, and is an essential element in creating effective teams. Regular communications between team members also helps everyone in the organization understand that the transformation initiatives are needed to improve business, and create a more focused profitable company.
In my new book, POWER TEAMS: The New SQUARE ROOT MODELTM That Changes Everything!, I provide a series of SQUARE ROOT TOOLSTM and group collaboration strategies that help organizations involved in serious change. For a sneak peek at POWER TEAMS, go to powerteamsnow.com. You can download Chapter 9 for free, and learn how to use these tools to drive organizational understanding, tighten accountability, improve company productivity, and focus the enterprise on long-term and sustainable achievements.