Effective leadership is about driving team members to facilitate change management. It is through human resources that we can put the theories of change management into practice and see results. Structuring team work around change is what takes change management out of the theoretical realm and puts it into action, at all levels within an organisation.

The Importance of Teamwork and Collaboration in Facilitating Change Management

Even if you have the best talent and skills in your industry, individuals need to be managed and the team has to be directed if it is going to be successful. Here are some change management tips for your team leadership:

• Ensuring that team members have the necessary skills to do their jobs is one of the fundamentals for the team’s success. If there are any skills gaps in the group it is likely to affect the entire team. With change management comes the necessity of training and development to empower team members with new and relevant skills, specific to the change objectives.
• Develop relationships in the team so they do not come under strain during times of change by giving team members the opportunity to engage honestly about their concerns in a relaxed environment. People who work closely together need to develop a rapport so try and allow it to come naturally. Let everyone learn about one another’s values and interests to create a cohesive unit.
• Set goals and objectives so that it is clear how everyone’s role contributes to the bigger picture. Successful change management strategies are about aligning individual goals with team goals.
• Make sure you support individual strengths and structure and delegate projects so they complement each team member’s capabilities so that team members are equipped with a “can do” attitude.
• Include “team work” as a category on your performance management process. Make it an important component of the employee’s job description so they understand how important it is.

Incorporating Change Management Into Virtual Teamwork

While technology may have offered us new ways of keeping in touch it does also mean that sometimes we do not have the benefit of direct interface with our team members. These days people engage while they are travelling, if they work from home or if they are working off-site. Here are some change management implementation ideas to retain cohesion in your virtual team and stay productive:

• Hold regular meetings and try and find times where all staff members in a team or department are available to meet. If you cannot meet in person try video conferencing with the whole team present.
• One of the simplest but most effective change management tips is to have an effective communications strategy for keeping in contact over email or telephonically. Make sure everyone in the team gets formal communication or access to an intranet. Have a shared database where everyone has access to corporate documents and communications material, even if they are working remotely.

HRNetwork is an industry leader in change management. Contact us today to find out how we can assist you with implementing your change management process at team level.