Good morning, Team! It’s Good Friday!

I’ve seen a significant amount of change in a variety of settings over my career. People come and go, styles change, cultures resist and so it goes. Usually, the best solution for the business and the environment emerges.

What happens during the change process is interesting to me. Often times, too much drama is associated with change and I wonder why?

A few thoughts might include:

•People fear change…or do they fear loss?

•People prefer stability and security, or at least perceived security, and get anxious if that appears to be disrupted.

•People do not like being kept in the dark so they seek answers and if those answers don’t come timely and in the form of well thought out, well articulated and easy to digest communication, well, people make shit up.

In the words of Frank Luntz, author of Words that work; it’s not what you say, it’s what people hear, 

“In the absence of information, the void is often filled with poison, drivel and misrepresentation”

I agree.

How disappointing. How disruptive. How wasteful of valuable time and effort trying to pursue improvements.

It also emphasizes the criticality of a good communication plan. You can do all the right things, make all the right moves, but if you don’t bring the right people along at the right time, you can fall prey to hearsay, rumor and innuendo and best laid plans might still fail or at least be much less effective than they could have been. 

Be the person who doesn’t perpetuate hearsay. Rather, look for facts, ask good questions, be mindful of the words you choose and conscious of the perceived intent behind them.

Have a blessed Easter weekend!

Eric