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Approaching Transitions |Leila's House of Corrections

Most people don't respond well to change. Remember that a transition is a process, not an event, and managers are the ones responsible for implementing the changes that come along with it. Learn to ask for help, evaluate your expectations, and check your team's response.

If you have questions or suggestions for future video topics, Leila wants to hear from you.

Speaker: Leila Bulling-Towne, Executive Coach, The Bulling-Towne Group

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Tags: Video, Corporate Communications, Team Management, Marketing, Management, Leila's House of Corrections, change, transition, layoffs, recession, hiring, team, manager

 
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  •  
    1

    mrsmurigah

    03/20/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Approaching Transitions |Leila's House of Corrections

    This is one of the shortest but clearest message. Who said you need a whole days training on managing transitions?

  •  
    2

    george bradt

    03/23/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Approaching Transitions |Leila's House of Corrections

    There are some very good points here about communication. In our work with leaders transitioning into new positions or onboarding, we have found that three things make a huge difference in reducing the risk of failure:

    1. GET A HEAD START BEFORE THE START
    Day One is a critical pivot point for people joining from outside the company. The same is true for the formal announcement of someone getting promoted from within. In both situations, you can accelerate progress by getting a head start and hitting the ground running. A little early momentum goes a long way.

    2. TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR MESSAGE
    Everything communicates. People read things into everything you say and do, and everything you don?t say and don?t do. Thus you?re far better off choosing and controlling what they see and hear, and when they see and hear it, than in letting others make those choices for you, or letting them happen by chance.

    3. BUILD A HIGH-PERFORMING TEAM
    The first 100 days are the best time to put in place the basic building blocks of a high-performing team. You will fail if you try to do everything yourself, without the support and buy-in of your team. As a team leader, your own success is inextricably linked to the success of the team as a whole.

    George Bradt
    PrimeGenesis Executive Onboarding and Transition Acceleration
    www.primegenesis.com

  •  
    3

    LeilaBT

    03/24/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Approaching Transitions |Leila's House of Corrections

    Dear mrsmurigah,

    Great. Glad you found value in the message. Short and specific is what I try to do.

    Regards from San Francisco,

    Leila
    http://www.thebullingtownegroup.com

  •  
    4

    LeilaBT

    03/24/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Approaching Transitions |Leila's House of Corrections

    Thanks, George, for the valid points.

    Regards,

    Leila

  •  
    5

    t7b

    04/26/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Approaching Transitions |Leila's House of Corrections

    Thanks, George, for the valid points

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Approaching Transitions |Leila's House of Corrections

Most people don't respond well to change. Remember that a transition is a process, not an event, and managers are the ones responsible for implementing the changes that come along with it. Learn to ask for help, evaluate your expectations, and check your team's response.

If you have questions or suggestions for future video topics, Leila wants to hear from you.

New team? New job? We re creatures of habit, and most of us do not respond well to transitions. We struggle letting go of what is familiar, what feels good. A time of change is not the moment to hunker down, so . . .  come on managers, let s learn how to approach transitions.

A transition is a process, not an event. It could mean going from one project to another, taking on an additional project or handing over responsibility. It s an evolution. It s rarely easy or fast, for anyone involved. No matter how experienced he may be. Here are 5 tips to keep in mind the next time you are facing a transition in the office.

#1: There is no such thing as over-communication.
To guide people towards something new and different, managers need to send the message many times and in many ways. Tailor the message as you go along. Think about what to say to each person or group. Be honest. Be genuine.

#2: Ask for help from your own manager.
Ask for your own manager s input. Ask about the time she was part of a transition and it failed and why? Ask her to explain what she has done in the past to handle a successful changeover. What actions would she recommend you use?

#3: Remember how people respond to change.
People don t necessary like or believe in change, even if they tell you otherwise. Routine feels good. The tried and true is what we trust. Ask questions of your team to find out where they are in terms of accepting the transition.

#4:  Be clear on your expectations.
When you communicate changes, be crystal clear about what you are expecting the team to do. Graphs are good and so are bullets. SMART goals factor in here. Be specific, measurable, action-oriented and aligned, realistic, and time bound as you explain the steps of the transition.

#5: Stop talking and listen.
Whether talking 1:1 or in a group setting, offer a thought and then pause. Listen for silence. If you didn t hear it, you weren t quiet long enough. Ask questions, open-ended ones, and wait for the sound of an  ahem.  When you hear it, someone is ready to talk. You need to be ready to listen.

Transitions are scary to employees. They are frightening for managers who have to implement the changes that come with transitions. When one change comes to the workplace, it can affect other processes and practices. Everything else doesn t have to remain status quo. As a manager you'll need to create the space and time to consider how the transition fits into the bigger picture.