Help Others in Uncertain Times

Change at work can have nasty connotations. There can be job losses involved. Or perhaps a new and unfamiliar boss might be parachuted in to run the team that you work in.

Given that most people resist change and see it as a nuisance, the minority of people who both enjoy the challenge of making change happen and can help others through it are doubly in demand by employers.

So, what can you do to help your colleagues and raise your profile with the people at the top?

• Listen to people’s concerns. People hate to feel bulldozed by change. Just helping others to articulate their worries will make them feel better.
• Reassure individuals if possible. Focus on the benefits of change. But each individual will have different anxieties and questions. So try to figure out what each individual will need to hear — because it will be different for each and every person you talk to.
  

You probably won’t be surprised to hear that people going through change are always hungry for information, so:

• Communicate, communicate, communicate. Try to seek out as much information as possible and share it as quickly as you can.
• Share good news in public. Success is best announced in groups so that people can congratulate themselves and each other.
• But give bad news in private. People don’t like others to see them when they’re feeling weak or depressed. So make sure you tell people bad news in person on a one-to-one basis.

Try to think how you feel when change is being imposed on you. What do you need when things feel uncertain? Then try to translate it into support for your colleagues.

Remember to...

• Consider that change is rarely only good or only bad – it’s usually a mix of the two.
• Get used to change. Only by accepting change in your life will you be able to reach your career goals.
• Help your employer and other colleagues through change. Not only will it make you better at dealing with change in your own life, but it’ll make you more employable too.