50 JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022 Change is hard. Change is uncomfortable. Given the choice, most people will choose to not change what they feel has been working for them. Below are examples of what many banking leaders have been saying: - “Lenders are finding it more difficult to schedule in-person appointments to see some of their clients and prospects. Even though many of the COVID-19 restrictions have let up, some companies have changed their preference and approach to communicating by phone. Lenders are having a tough time being as effective that way.” - “We had to rethink our sales team due to shifts in business fucus. This required us to juggle some client assignments. Some have jumped right in, but a few are resisting. We have been clear about why the business needs to make these changes, but this has made some uncomfortable in their new roles.” What’s going on? In the past, our team has risen to every challenge and met every new goal with excitement and enthusiasm. Our compensation is more than competitive. Our competition hasn’t introduced any new products or services that we can’t compete against. We were very clear on the new procedures and assignments, and our performance expectations are basically the same as they have always been. What could be going on is that you and your managers have focused your energy on clearly defining new procedures and expectations, but may not have spent enough time focusing on the personal needs of employees. When things are changing, employees will often take a step back to understand how the changes affect them personally before they focus on how the changes will benefit the business. Leadership in Times of Change They need time to understand what they need to do differently, and to what extent their world is being changed. They might be asking: % “Do these changes affect my work schedule, which will in turn affect my schedule outside of work?” % “Am I going to need to rely on or develop a skill I never needed in the past? Do I feel confident in that new skill? Am I willing to put in the time and effort required to learn the new procedure?” % “Will my selling style match well with the new clients I have been assigned, or will I need to adjust? Will I be able to adjust? Do I want to adjust?” When change happens in our lives, it is natural for us to resist at first, particularly if we thought things were going well before. If the status quo was comfortable for me, I would prefer to leave things as they were. Unconsciously (or maybe consciously), I am hoping that if I resist the change, then it will go away. You will let me continue to operate in my comfort zone. The mistake we make as managers is that we believe that all we need to do is clearly explain what needs to be done and why. If we do that, everyone will see the need for the change and jump on board. As long as your people are in resistance mode, however, they are not ready to listen to your arguments about why the changes are good for the company. They are taking care of themselves first. The next time you need to institute changes, take a more balanced approach: 1. Be clear about the need for the change and the longterm benefits of everyone successfully adopting the new procedures. 2. Acknowledge that this is a change, and seek to understand what concerns your employees may have about adapting to the changes. Be sincere in Steve Jones Leadership Development Expert Anthony Cole Training Group LLC steve@anthonycoletraining.com Anthony Cole Training Group LLC is an associate member of the Indiana Bankers Association. FEATURE
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