How do you inspire your team during a sudden company restructuring?

- To inspire your team during a sudden company restructuring, maintain transparency by clearly communicating changes and the reasons behind them. - Acknowledge their concerns and provide a safe space for them to express feelings. - Focus on the positives - highlight new opportunities, potential growth, and the team's strengths. - Share a compelling vision of the future and align individual roles with this vision. - Lead by example, showing resilience and adaptability. - Offer support through regular check-ins and provide resources to help them navigate the transition, ensuring they stay motivated and committed despite the uncertainty.

During a period of restructuring, uncertainty is inevitable. To dispel doubts and alleviate fears, it is crucial to keep everyone informed and involved. This can be achieved through open communication, where the leader clearly explains the need for restructuring, outlines the process, and details its impact on each team member. Additionally, providing an effective feedback system allows team members to voice their concerns, which should be addressed promptly. Without clear communication, rumors—whether true or false—can spread, disrupting the organization and increasing anxiety. Open communication fosters trust and confidence within the team, leading to a smoother and more successful restructuring process.

Estuve en el a?o 2005, por tema de campeonato de artes marciales y representando a mi país. Un honrado viaje. No hacía más de haber competido el fin de semana y el lunes siguiente debíamos regresar. Pero en la noche anterior, en el hall del hotel, comenzaron a colocar atriles con información de que viene a New Orleans el Huracán Katrina, en la tarde del lunes. Las personas inquietas sin saber magnitud, nos empezamos a informar con los lugare?os y comenzaban a cerrar todo (tapiado). Los atriles con la información daban referencias cada 15 minutos, cambiaban los “letreros”. A punta de lapices y hojas, el sistema internet cayo. Pudimos salir a las 06 am del lunes y el avión despegó a las 11am, pude salir y he quedado con la info es +

Delivering transparent, clear communication that will be understandable for all team members is crucial during any changes. There is no place for blind spots, as it will immediately provoke rumors, buzzing, and a nervous atmosphere. The best way to start an explanation is from the general and macro levels and go down to the micro level. In this case, the chances of a positive attitude increase as people understand why and what is behind the changes. Let’s provide a simple example. Do you feel the difference between communication such as “Beginning from the following Monday, we stop buying sweets at the office” or “As the next month is a month of healthy eating, we stop buying sweets at the office and start buying apples”?

During restructuring, people are naturally eager to understand what is happening and what the outcomes might be. It is crucial for the leader to maintain transparency by keeping the team updated throughout the process. Providing timely and accurate information eliminates guesswork and helps maintain focus. When team members receive regular and honest updates, they build trust in both the system and their leader, leading them to fully support the process because they have a clear vision of the direction they are headed.

For restructuring to be effective, it must align with the organization's mission, vision, and core values. These should serve as guiding principles throughout the process. Team members should be regularly reminded of how the restructuring will help achieve the organization’s mission and vision. It's essential for them to stay focused on the end result rather than the challenges encountered during the restructuring process.

During restructuring, the leader can encourage team members by recognising their contributions and celebrating successes so that they feel valued and be willing to put in more efforts.