Lead Change Through Empathy First

As the world becomes more fast paced and variable, it's only natural that change happens more frequently, and the magnitude of change is only going to get bigger. Yes, it seems like almost everyday there is new technology, a new app, or a new company that is disrupting the way things are done.

But as you manage the systemic, procedural, and/or technological change rippling throughout organisations (and society), don't forget that at the heart of any change first lie facilitating change in individuals. And anything to do with people has to do with emotions, and anything to do with emotions, has to do with empathy.

Emotions, First on the List

Everything and anything to do with people has to do with emotions. Change is no exception. While our ability to think and organise information has led to technological advancement unparalleled by any other species, your cognitive roots are much more emotional than you think.

Emotional responses in people are more deeply ingrained than people give credit for. The emotional centres of the brain evolved millions of years before the thinking brain, which was a vital mechanism for survival, as fear needed to send our ancestors running for their lives upon first hint of a predator. The ones who had the tendency to stop and think before running were probably not fortunate enough to pass that attribute down.

You were programmed to be afraid way before you even learned to think.

So when it comes to people, to even consider doing anything without first addressing the emotional impact it'll have on others, you're setting yourself up for failure. In leading change, dealing with the emotional needs of those involved should be the first on the list.

Change is a threat

Change in itself triggers a threat response.

People like certainty. The brain likes to know what is going on, to see what's coming from a distance, and when things happen as you predicted, it feels good. The feeling of not being able to determine the what will happen from moment to moment feels like a threat.

Change drags you out of the safety of the familiar, into uncharted territory where you are vulnerable to all kinds of threats, ones you thought yourself previously protected from, and ones that you don't even know exist yet.

The very basis of change is that things are going to be different, and therefore any change is going feel like a threat to your survival.

Facilitate, Not Manage, Change

There are a lot of moving parts to any kind of change. It is a complex problem that naturally will require a complex solution, which understandably, makes people want to call on their intellect as their first course of action. Also, many business consultants and people in leadership positions, responsible for making big changes have made it to where they are because of their highly developed intellect.

But as we've learned, change is an extremely emotional phenomenon.

You can try your best to convince people of change by defining your vision and key outcomes, creating a communications plan, and engaging change champions, but without addressing the emotional threat responses that will be present, you will be met with defensive and afraid minds, rather than the open minded and collaborative ones you need.

I'm not in any way suggesting you abandon all intellect and proceed with change without a plan, supplementing your plan with considerations of emotions at every step of the way provides a far more efficient and less painful way forward. Instead of approaching change as pushing others to achieve an outcome, facilitate a state of mind that removes fear, and supports others in getting there safely and on their own accord.

Lead Change Through Empathy

Change brings about an emotional threat response, and how do you account for the emotions of others? Empathy.

Empathy consists of the prefix "em-", meaning put in or into, and "pathos", meaning suffering, experience, or emotion. Quite literally, put yourself into emotion.

Put the emotions of others at the top of the list and dive into them.

For starters, address the emotional needs that are under threat, mainly uncertainty, status, and autonomy. To decrease uncertainty, give others access to as much information as you can, which makes them feel more certain and puts their mind at ease which allows them to be more proactive thinkers. To protect status, recognize the significance of what others have achieved before the change and their importance during and after it. To give others autonomy, allow people to change with more flexibility instead of enforcing change in a certain way, allow them to figure things out on their own.

Every step along the way, rather than enforcing a pace of progress, check in with emotions. How are they doing in the midst of all this change? What are some struggles they are facing, and how can you help?

To some, these actions might feel like relinquishing control of the situation, and that's because you will be. Change is uncertain, created by a lack of control, so it's only natural that the way to facilitate uncertainty is to return a little bit of that control to the people who are feeling the effects of it the most.