🤸 Navigating change, the 4 quadrants of performance, & NBA wisdom on failure

Hey — it’s Cristina & Jenni.

Each week, we share leadership reflections, resources, and laughs to help you excel in your role (+ have fun along the way).

As two tech leaders, we’re here to “lead in public” by sharing what we’re learning in our day-to-day roles, encouraging others to do the same, and learning and growing as leaders together.

Enjoy!

What we’re reflecting on this week

What’s one thing that’s a guarantee in every single organization?

Change.

New C-level sending the company in a different direction? Layoffs leading to a reorg? Big product update? Incentive plan changes impacting take-home pay?

All of these are potentially anxiety-inducing changes that shake things up and get people out of their comfort zones… and it turns out that humans aren’t the biggest fans of that experience.

As much as this is talked about, “change management” can still feel a little hazy, especially for new managers. How, exactly, do I “manage” change?

5 tactics to bring your team along the change journey with you:

1/ Stay true to yourself

• Depending on your own level of comfort with change, you might find yourself feeling uncomfortable or unsure how to act.

• The key here is to stay true to your values and leadership principles.

• Remember: Honesty, transparency, and candor help build trust and understanding (both during times of stability and during times of turbulence).

2/ Tell your team that you’re there to support them

• It’s surprising how many times this is glossed over, but it’s absolutely critical.

• Take the time to voice that you recognize that it’s difficult and that you’re committed to helping your team succeed and learn.

• Remind them that, while you might not know everything, you’re their advocate and you’re there to raise questions and concerns with leadership and report back with answers.

3/ Create a regular forum for questions and feedback

• Schedule a recurring sync or incorporate this into an existing meeting so that there’s time carved out for this specific purpose. Document any questions (and answers) in a central place so there’s an easy way to revisit each topic.

• Use this time to report back on any answers you’ve uncovered, to reassure them that you’re in it together, and to maintain a sense of progress.

• Embrace awkward silence - sometimes people will have less to say and that’s completely okay.

4/ Prioritize enablement and empowerment

• Folks often feel anxious about change due to lack of certainty, clarity, and control (about their job spec, processes, tools, company vision, etc) - this can make them unsure about how to succeed.

• It’s helpful to differentiate between what’s known now and what’s still TBD so they’re clear on what they can action vs. what they can put on the back burner.

• For items they can take action on, focus on training so they feel empowered to do their jobs well as quickly as possible.

5/ Recognize and celebrate your team members’ efforts

• Sometimes we get caught up in the change itself and forget that our team is putting in a lot of effort to not only do their day jobs but also to navigate the change.

• Each week, take note of small wins, good questions, and other positive moments.

• Be vocal about what you’re proud of, whether it be a specific team member’s achievements or the team coming together to tackle the change as a group.

As leaders, it's our responsibility to steer our teams through change - big or small.

By recognizing that change is happening, creating the space for feedback and concerns, and recognizing your team’s efforts, you’ll achieve a smoother transition for your team and your company.

→ What change are you working through as a leader and how can you apply these tactics?

What we’re learning this week

• ✍️ How do we manage the change journey? - Scott Keller and Bill Schaninger have extensively researched and written about leading large-scale change… and their lessons contain valuable tidbits for companies and teams of any size. Before you check out their books, get a taste of their best practices in this article about the “act” stage of the change journey.

• 👀 4 Quadrants of Performance - In this quick video, Danny Meyer (NYC restaurateur and the Founder & Executive Chairman of USHG) introduces us to a quadrant of “can, will, can’t, and won’t” regarding employee performance. We found it to be a simple and helpful framework for assessing and developing talent.

• 🎙️TKP Insights: Leadership - Shane Parrish of The Knowledge Project has started to pull together “best of” podcast episodes around specific themes, and this leadership-focused ep does not disappoint. To whet your appetite, we’ll leave you with this Jim Collins quote: “A big part of what it takes to learn [leadership] is embracing the idea of seeing what has to be done and then exercising the art of getting people to want to join you in getting it done.”

What we’re enjoying this week

NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t hold back in this spot-on response to a reporter asking him about failure.

That’s it for this week — thanks for reading.

See you next Thursday! 🤸‍♀️