Change Nugget: Having “Change” Conversations

Managing change is challenging, but it can be particularly difficult in a University setting where there is more of a decentralized model which can lead to many ways of doing things. 

As we prepare to move to the shared services model, comprehensive tools and frameworks for managing change can provide a big picture view and support people in their specific roles and units. The guide below can help prepare you for 1:1 change conversations that are critical for bringing people along, while helping you be a champion for change in your unit.

What are the key components of 1:1 change conversations?

• Acknowledge the past. 
  • An employee’s experiences with change are shaped by their past experiences with it, which can form biases, assumptions, and perceptions that can negatively affect their ability to navigate change.
• Clarify the change.
  • Discuss and share the view of upcoming change, including employees’ readiness for change, understanding of the purpose of change.
• Solicit input. 
  • Provide the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns, which helps identify potential barriers and get their ideas for how they can support change.
• Help prepare. 
  • Focus your feedback and support where they need it most (addressing motivation, new skill development, etc.).
• Set expectations for their role in navigating this change. 
  • Gain commitment and ownership for supporting the change, not just compliance with the change.

This will help keep employees feeling validated, engaged, and see themselves as an active contributor and supporter of change initiatives.

Prepare for your conversation

As a supervisor, you can initiate the conversation and demonstrate that you’re empathetic and open to discussing how they’re feeling regarding the changes occurring in your unit.

One very important aspect to remember: avoid assumptions. Change is a personal and difficult experience, and everyone perceives it differently. It’s important to do your best to avoid your own bias as much as possible when discussing transition with your team.

In addition to being prepared to answer questions from your employees, there are questions you can ask yourself about change readiness: 

• Are you clear on what problem you’re solving with the change?
• Do you have a clear vision for the change?
• Do you understand, in detail, what policies, processes, and jobs must change, in what way?
• Do you know who the owners of the change are?
• Do you know how you’ll measure if the change is successful or not?

Conducting the Conversation

You can open the conversation by talking about why the change is needed, why it is needed now, and how the change may or may not be connected with current work. 

• The PEAK Case for Change tool is a great resource to help with this.

Listen to understand: remember that the goal of this conversation is to meet an employee where they're at and help them see how they can be part of the change.

Suggested questions to utilize in your conversation:

• We’re going through a lot of change. How are you feeling about it? What questions does it bring up for you?
• Change often causes us to give up or lose something. What do you fear giving up or losing?
• What about this change leaves you feeling uncertain or worried?
• What part of this change makes it hard for you to move forward with it?
• What are some issues you see with this change that we aren't giving enough thought to?
• What’s been your experience with other changes you’ve been through in the last few years?
• How might you benefit from this change? What part of the change presents the greatest opportunity for you?
• What questions do you have about your role in this change?
• How well do you understand what’s expected of you with this change? What would help clarify the expectations?

For additional tips and suggestions on managing change in your unit, view or download this Quick Guide to Change Conversations.