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procedures, responsibilities, or reporting structure, forces you to take an even closer look at specific
predicting the future isn’t easy and leads to greater changes, giving you another opportunity to tweak
employee anxiety. In many ways, employee efforts the process prior to implementation. You need
to maintain the status quo are a natural reaction to to reassure groups at the forefront of the change
the unknown. To put this in perspective, imagine process that you’re confident they can tackle the
a situation that would make you worry. Much of assignment and serve as an excellent example to
the time, the imagined consequences are worse the rest of the company. Instilling pride in one’s
than what actually takes place. Most of that ability and output will help quell any nervous
anxiety occurs because of disruptions to normal
reactions to your plan.
routines, less than adequate explanations from

management, and fear of the unknown.
3. Why do what that person says? Not
every employee or department trusts senior
As you develop your implementation plan, think
management to plan on behalf of the whole
about which people are most likely to be affected
organization. Sometimes, certain managers have
by changes and what their objections might be.
a history of favoritism that influenced previous
You can counter their protests with prepared
changes. The only way to put those fears to rest
explanations, allaying their fears and smoothing
is to illustrate how each group, and the entire
out the transition process for them. Here are four
company, benefits from the change once they
common objections employees have to change
support the implementation plan. Make sure
and how you should respond to their concerns:
employees know that, no matter who is in charge,

the plan is the best thing for the company to do.
1. Why change that? Employees who benefit
Just be vigilant during the change process and
most by maintaining the status quo are more likely
step in if you detect any unproductive biases.
to complain about planned changes. Address

their objections by explaining what benefits
4. Are more changes going to occur in the near
the changes will have on policy, procedures,
future? Did the company have bad experiences
processes, and the company as a whole. If
during prior change plans? Look back at what
presented with conviction and communicated
happened and be prepared to explain why things
in a clear way, employees should see the logic in
will proceed smoothly this time. If you’re not
making the changes despite the fact that they
confident that those problems won’t occur again,
might not directly benefit from them.
maybe you should put more thought into the

developmental and implementation stages of your
2. Why follow that sequence of changes? Even
plan. Much of how employees react depends on
employees who see the benefit of change may
the severity of past problems, what you learned
be troubled by the timing, deadlines, or sequence
from the previous experience, and the measures
of steps surrounding the plan. Visualizing how
you took to avoid a recurrence of those problems.
each group will be affected by new procedures

will help you justify why alterations need to occur.
Adapted from Master Change, Maximize Success, by Rebecca
At the very least, this type of thought process Potts and Jeanenne LaMarsh
 ThinkBusiness Click Here for Table of Contents April 2009 
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