Focus on Small Bites

Does your team have change fatigue?

There's been a lot of change in the last two years and most of it has occurred with next to no engagement of the people the change directly impacts: front line managers and employees. As managers look at how to support their teams when responding to these changes might we suggest a "less is more" approach? Success is more likely if teams take a more incremental, human-centered approach to transition. The focus must shift to:

• Bite-sized, gradual shifts: Losing staff or merging teams usually requires a quick look at what work needs to be done and how. Bringing the team together to determine new workflows usually addresses the most critical concerns and thereby helps eliminate stress. This smaller engagement will help the team realign to their shared purpose and increases employee confidence before a full transition.

• Empowering departmental leaders: Allow managers to differentiate change management approaches based on specific departmental or individual needs. These are the folks who works the closest with our operational staff. The more empowered they feel, the most they can support the emotional and technical needs of their teams.

• Protecting bandwidth: Acknowledge that employees are navigating competing demands and challenges, so will be careful to protect their remaining energy. They can only take on so much and our students need them.

When change is small, relevant, and supported at the department level, campus teams don't just tolerate it—they have the capacity to actually get behind it. With confidence, they can take on more and in combination, create the transformation needed.