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employees can read for themselves what’s going on and how it will
alter their daily routine.
Spend lots of time in informal meetings with your team. The
more you can chat face-to-face about the nature of the change and
what it’ll mean to employees, the more you can dispel rumors and
gain their trust about what’s in store. Make yourself accessible to
everyone.
New managers may not be in the loop about what’s going on, so
level with workers if you don’t have all the answers. Saying, “I don’t
know but I’ll find out and get back to you” works better than barri-
cading yourself in your office and becoming aloof.
Lay the groundwork for change by taking these steps:
Dangle rewards: Explain to the employees what goodies await
those who are most adaptable to change. If they can secure a larger
office, better equipment or more flexible hours, they might treat
change more openly and lower their resistance.

Anticipate multiple outcomes: Employees will want you to tell them
the upshot of change: How will things be different? Answer by pre-
senting a range of outcomes and specify what variables will deter-
mine how the change will develop.
Withhold negative opinions: Present change in a positive or at least
neutral light to employees. Don’t dwell on your displeasure with it—
or they’ll follow your lead and gripe even more.

“Employees don’t resist change. They resist
being changed.”

—Peter Scholtes

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