Handling transition

When an individual gets to know that s/he has to go through a transition the first reaction is that of resistance. We all tend to get in the comfort zone of our area of work, moving out of that comfort zone cannot happen in a day’s time. 

Any change is an emotional experience. And people are likely to accept the change faster when they feel that they have the skills, knowledge to succeed in the new place / work.  The faster one moves through the learning curve, the faster they will accept the change. 

Accept the fact that change is the only constant (not only in life but in workplace also). Remember change happens to us all, Change happens every day, to everyone.

As I read somewhere transition is more psychological and is a three phased process:

• Let-go: this is the phase of accepting the change
• Neutral-zone: this is when there is nothing to hold onto the past. This is the time when Old weaknesses such as confused priorities reemerge. People are polarized. Teamwork is undermined.
• New beginning: Defines a plan for the change

I have observed that most of the people going through the transition can be easily categorized in 2 types:

• One set of people who at the first instant question the transition. They however ask the positive questions and are fastest to accept the change. They look at the transition as an opportunity to grow / probably make a career change they might have looking forward to. This set of people is the fastest to move from the Let-go zone jump onto the new beginning.

• Second set of people who follows the first set. This following is however marked with skepticism and criticism. This set of people end up criticizing and doubting even the positives that the transition can bring. They suspect all the change and start to believe that the change / re-organization is going to hamper their growth. They tend to scan the change for anything that is not to their benefit. It is most important to communicate with this set of people and explain the purpose of the change.

The best way to accept the change is to move out of your comfort zone and start to think of what all possibilities can this change bring in your career / life. Some good ways of moving out of comfort zone: http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2007/08/22/7-ways-to-break-out-of-your-comfort-zone-and-live-a-more-exciting-life/

Try to be in the first set of people and look at the change with positive outlook. Look at it as an opportunity rather than a challenge or a setback in the career. What you think about change will have a direct impact on how easy or difficult you find the change. If you believe that change is difficult, then you will probably have a difficult and terrible time in going through the process of change.

The most important thing to do is start to communicate (actually the first thing to be done). Communicate with your peers, communicate with your supervisor and understand the context of change. Explore all options that can be worked out. Evaluate what each option will mean to you.  Ask yourself these questions "Where are you now?" and "Where do you want to go?". Let this change be the stepping stone for where you want to be….

Managing team ramp down

During the course of ramp down of a project team, the focus of the team starts to reduce from the current work since they have already started to think and plan for the next option / work in hand.

Morale is of particular concern. In the workplace, morale and performance are interrelated; low morale leads to low productivity and high morale leads to high productivity and eventually leads to better quality of work.

So how to keep the team together and keep the momentum going during the last lap of the race for finishing the work in hand:

• Communication

Keep open communications with the team regarding the transition. It is important to provide clarity of strategy, and make sure the team understands the need of transition and where they are going as part of the transition. It is important to instill trust and confidence in the most committed and best focused employees since these are the ones who will also provide and promote confidence for other employees. Communicate with each individual of the team to address their concerns.  

• Act quickly

Inactivity creates a vacuum that can leave the team to speculate and draw their own (and often incorrect) conclusions. It is important to give information first hand and honestly communicating about what is happening in the company. Work a plan and share with the team.

• Keep morale high

It is very important to maintain morale and keep the focus on productivity, performance and quality. The negative impact of transition on the team members’ morale can be considerable and the team cannot be expected to deliver quality work without them being fully engaged on the tasks.  Hence the importance of building team morale during such times.

• Trust

Believe in yourself and in others. Faith needs to be fostered in the workplace. Team must believe that the organization truly benefits from their work and efforts and this will ultimately encourage them to put complete focus and dedication to the work. Keeping transparency in communication will inspire trust in the team.

·         Execute the transition plan / Organizing

Make sure to put team members in positions suited to their particular skills and ambitions. Give them time and support to choose appropriate position in the organization that will help them grow and succeed in their goals.