(ninth in a series titled Issues Managers Face in the Workplace)

Today is “Super Tuesday.” There are 22 US states holding presidential caucuses or primaries. There is a stronger-than-ever push to get out the vote. Are you choosing to participate? Change in the workplace happens in similar, if a lot less spectacular, ways.

Opt In: Action

Participate in the process. Volunteer for the extra project. When the opportunity presents itself to join a major company initiative that means leaving your current job for a few months or years, try it. Don’t like the way the monthly birthday club works? Join the planning committee. Want more out of your annual team or company off site event? Volunteer to be on the team that builds the agenda. You get the idea - if you want your voice heard, you have to participate. You won’t always get your way. And you shouldn’t always get your way. Learning happens in victories, defeats, and compromises. Tom Brady, quarterback of the New England Patriots football team, learned a lot from each Super Bowl appearance. If you watched the game this past Sunday, he has the chance to learn from defeat as well.

Opt Out: Reflection

You have the choice to not actively participate in the change. Just like deciding to not vote today, or any day, you can choose to let others decide the “who, what, where, when, why, and how” of the pending change. Here is the opportunity for reflective change. Wait and see what happens. Who is affected? What process will be different? How will the change affect you? Then you can move to action. This isn’t the time to try to stop the change, or complain that you don’t have a voice. You opted out. Accept what changes with grace.

Make Room for Change

As a manager, how do you support the change process with your team? By letting them participate. Sounds simple. Bring opportunities to your team to be part of change projects. Nominate your best employee to be on a long-term change team (see: Net Exporter of Talent post). Create a culture that says it is OK to participate - to opt in. Create a culture that says it is OK to wait and reflect - to opt out. If you give your team the choice to change, the power to participate, the room to engage, they will.

____________________

Want more on change? The definitive series is in progress right now at Steve Roesler’s All Things Workplace blog. When you visit, ask him when he’ll be publishing his book on change management!

Joe Raasch :: Feb.05.2008 :: Change Management, Employee Engagement, Leadership :: 2 Comments »