How can you address common stress sources for change managers?

1 Identify your stress triggers

Recognizing what triggers stress for you is the first step to address it. Change managers may have different stressors, based on their personality, role, context, and goals. Common stress triggers for change managers include lack of clarity or direction about the change vision, scope, or outcomes; resistance or opposition from stakeholders, employees, or senior leaders; conflict or disagreement among team members, sponsors, or partners; unrealistic or conflicting expectations or deadlines; high workload or pressure to deliver results; and lack of resources, support, or recognition. By identifying your stress triggers , you can become more conscious of your emotional and physical reactions and plan ahead to prevent or reduce stress.

2 Communicate and collaborate

Communication and collaboration are essential skills for change managers, allowing them to build trust, rapport, and alignment with stakeholders, team members, and sponsors. These skills can help reduce stress by clarifying the purpose, benefits, and impact of the change. They also enable feedback and input from different perspectives to be gathered, as well as concerns and objections to be addressed in a constructive way. Conflict resolution and negotiation of solutions are also possible through effective communication and collaboration. Furthermore, information and updates should be shared regularly so that everyone is on the same page, while achievements and milestones should be acknowledged and celebrated. By utilizing these skills effectively, a positive and supportive change culture can be fostered while minimizing the risk of misunderstandings, resistance, and frustration.

3 Prioritize and delegate

Change management can be overwhelming and exhausting, especially if you have multiple projects, tasks, and responsibilities. To avoid burnout and stress, it is important to prioritize and delegate your work effectively. Align your priorities with the change vision, goals, and strategy. Utilize a project management tool or system to organize and track your tasks. Break down large or complex tasks into smaller and more manageable steps. Delegate or outsource tasks that are not within your core competence or scope. Additionally, set realistic and achievable deadlines and milestones. Finally, learn to say no or renegotiate expectations when necessary. By following these strategies, you can focus on the most important and impactful activities while optimizing your time and energy.

4 Balance and recharge

Change management can be demanding and stressful, but also rewarding and fulfilling. To maintain your motivation and well-being, it's important to set boundaries between work and personal time, schedule regular breaks, engage in activities that bring you joy, exercise regularly and eat healthily, seek support from mentors or peers, and practice mindfulness, meditation or other stress-reduction techniques. Doing so can not only help you recharge your batteries but also enhance your resilience, creativity, and productivity.

5 Learn and grow

Change management is a dynamic and evolving field that requires constant learning and adaptation. As a change manager, you can use stress as an opportunity to learn and grow from your experiences. Consider reflecting on successes and failures to identify strengths and areas for improvement, asking for feedback and constructive criticism to enhance skills and performance, embracing uncertainty and ambiguity as challenges, experimenting with new ideas, methods, or tools, seeking new opportunities to expand knowledge, skills, or network, and celebrating achievements and recognizing contributions. Through this process of learning and growth from stress, you can increase your confidence, competence, and value as a change manager.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?