Top tips for riding the waves of organisational change
40 delegates, 3 speakers, 2 hosts, 1 compere and a stunning room.
Yesterday marked our 4th Women in Biopharma Leadership (WBL) Event where we tackled the topic of navigating organisational change. Our eminent speakers, Nicola Massey, Melissa Thomas and Yana Ignatova shared their top tips for riding the continuous waves of change whether you are leading an organisation and team through it or on the receiving end of it and trying to lead yourself.
Change is not always sudden and dramatically impactful; M&As and re-orgs aside, change can also be gradual; less obvious but just as impactful. The ability of a leader to navigate through any change will often involve balancing the needs of the organisation and their team with their own.
Here is a rundown (and consolidation as there were so many) of my favourite top tips for anyone leading sudden and gradual organisational change or anyone currently being impacted by it.
- Take control of the change you’re facing and see it as an opportunity for what can be achieved. Let go of the fear and embrace what’s happening; recognise you need to go through the change curve* (see diagram below) and get back in the driving seat.
- Focus on the people. Every single person; and make sure everyone understands what their destination is. Whether staying or going, change can be exciting; make sure you find your people and lean on them. Leading your team will be easier if you have support of your own.
- Be yourself, but be your best self. Think about what this means and what enables you to deliver on it. And beyond that, how you can support your team to be at their best at the same time.
- Create an environment where people aren’t afraid of change but are ready for it and prepared to harness it. Your role as a leader is to build teams and individuals who are not only prepared for change but equipped to deal with it.
- Be prepared to have the challenging conversations. Are you on or off the bus? If someone’s off the bus, that’s fine. Just be clear on what that means and the actions that need to be taken.
- Network beyond your current role and always invest in these relationships. Networking should not be a nice to have, don’t allow these relationships to sit in the periphery of your life. Remember “you are not your business card”.
Above and beyond all of these, as leaders, be open and honest with your teams. Discuss the challenges and improvements people will face and clarify any questions they have.
If this is a topic you would like to discuss further or you would like to hear about any of our future events, please do get in touch.
We run these events in partnership with Links Life Sciences and Maria Hall Consulting.
The Kübler-Ross Change Curve
