Empathy - Key To Change Management #1

If you recall from the Step-by-Step Model for Change Initiators, one of the critical steps involves analyzing probable reactions to the change. By doing so it will enable the change manager to anticipate, and be prepared for resistance or other difficulties.

People's reactions to change are generally NOT logical from an outsider's (ie. manager's) perspective. People react according to their own needs at the time. As discussed earlier people differ in the value they place on satisfying different needs, so people's reactions to any change will differ between person to person (or even within one person).

Empathy refers to the ability to "walk in another person's shoes", and to have insight into the thoughts, and, more importantly the emotional reactions of individuals faced with change.

Empathy requires that you suspend judgement of another's actions or reactions, while you try to understand them. Sometimes, this will mean reading between the lines of statements made, and almost always it will involve gentle questioning and probing, to clarify what is going on. The goal here, again is to UNDERSTAND, and not judge.

Of course, knowing your employees, understanding their concerns, and developing empathetic relationships with your employees should_ be NORMAL procedure for all managers. During periods of change, though, it is even more critical.

What is the payoff to the manager for developing empathetic relationships with employees? First, it enables the manager to better anticipate what resistance will occur, and to try to reduce this resistance. Second, it is the manager's basic tool to support the employee and make him/her feel valued by the organization in times where stability is lost. Third, understanding where employees are coming from will help you plan out the degree of participation needed from them, and will give some clues as to how change should be communicated to them. Fourth, building empathetic relationships, builds commitment and loyalty.

In short, showing empathy means listening, listening, listening, asking the right questions, and suspending judgement of the person's fears or concerns. By understanding employees during the change process, the manager should be able to reduce resistance, counter lower morale, and generally face fewer major problems.

Finally, empathy and listening build employees' commitment to the organization, to the manager personally, and, ultimately, to the change, itself.

Back To Change Management Main Page

Other Managing Change Articles By Robert Bacal

Understanding The Cycle of Change, And How People React To It
The Importance of Leadership In Managing Change
Leading Those That Remain After Downsizing Or Job Loss
For Managers - How Constant Change Affects Managers And Wears Them Down And Out
Leadership, Communication & Change
Understanding The Seven Dynamics of Change