to one of
Pat Wiklund's
Electronic Newsletters
...leveraging the strategic power of soft skills®
Articles
Getting Other People to Change
"I get by with
a little help from my friends." The words wafted out of my
car radio as I was listening to golden oldies.
It got me thinking about what we really need as we're
challenged to change the way we work and how we work
together.
It's what we need when we're making changes, expecting
ourselves and others to be more than what we have been,
expecting our employees to respond. A little help from our
friends.
Changing how we do work is quicker and more effective when
we work together to make change happen.
Use these five steps when you need to change...or need to
ask someone else to change:
1. Get the big picture. George Bush, the father, discounted
even the idea of having a vision. But you need to know what
will be different after the change. Exactly what are you
trying to do, to change? What will be different? What will
the "new world order" look like? If you don't know, or can't
describe what you want, you won't be able to get others to
share your vision, or go along with your plans.
2. Start sooner rather than later. People hate surprises
when it comes to their jobs, their responsibilities and what
they're being held accountable for. By starting sooner,
including others in the planning and the decision making,
you'll avert lots of hassles and uncooperative behavior
later. Ask for input, don't tell others what they have to
do. You'll just increase their resistance.
3. Listen...at least twice as much as you talk. For those of
us with big control issues...this is really hard. We know
better than anyone else the best way things should be done.
So we get into telling, and then are surprised when folks
don't do what we tell them to do. Just because it works
great for you, doesn't mean it will for others. More often
than not, the process experts are the front line folks.
Listen to their input, their experiences. Even if later you
don't incorporate everything they said, they'll be more
likely to cooperate because they've been heard.
4. Keep the focus on what's right not who's right. Even the
lowest person on the totem pole, or your least favorite
employee, can come up with super ideas. Beware of letting
your personal preferences or feelings about people cloud
your judgment of their ideas. Don't sacrifice your project,
and your reputation, by choosing the person rather than the
solution.
5. Be visible. Paradoxically this is as important as
listening. There comes a time when the person in charge
(read manager) has to make a decision, stick the stake in
the ground and lead the charge. If you've done your work up
to this point: setting the vision, starting early and
listening to all the constituencies, people will be ready to
come to a decision and take action. The buck stops here...at
your desk. You're the manager. You must take charge and be
responsible for making things happen.
500 words
Patricia Wiklund Ph.D. is a dynamic speaker, seminar leader
and consultant. She is the author of Taking Charge When You're Not in
Control. For
information on her speaking services, training or
consulting, contact her at P.O. Box 391416 Mountain View, CA
94039, (650) 938-8562, (650) 938-0880 fax,
Pat@PatWiklund.com or through her web page,
www.PatWiklund.com.
An electronic version of
this article is available if you wish to reprint or repost
it. Please contact Dr. Pat Wiklund for permission to
reprint, and to see if there is a royalty required for
reprint. If permission is granted, we request a hard copy of
the publication in which the article appears. We request you
include Pat's bio at the end of the piece, along with
contract information, and preferably, a photo. We'll happily
supply a 5x7 black and white or color photo if you can use
it.
Back to Articles
List
For additional
information, you may complete an information
form or contact
Dr. Pat Wiklund directly at:
P.O. Box 391416
Mountain View, CA 94039
(650) 938-8562
(650) 938-0880 fax
Email: Pat@patwiklund.com
return
to top
|
About
Pat | Speaking | Consulting | Info
Center | Contact
Us | Home |