By Rowan Putman
Introduction
Change is the one constant in life and in business. As leaders we are all dealing with what the market throws at us, some of us are trying to shape the evolution of those markets, and all of us are contemplating and preparing for the enumerable risks that may present themselves to which, if they materialise, we will have to respond, potentially for the sake of our organisation’s survival.
The one type of change that we can have some degree of influence over, is internal change. Yet, for all its inevitability, it remains a source of anxiety, friction, and resistance. How do we, as a team, not just survive but thrive in the face of change? The answer lies in understanding the psychology of transition, embracing a growth mindset, and leveraging our core values to guide us.
Drawing from the insights of those who have come before us, those who have made ‘change’ their business and documented it, and reflecting on our own experiences, we endeavour to approach and manage change in a way that is both human-centered and results-driven. There is no single one-size-fits-all approach, no silver bullet, but an ever-evolving approach that builds on lessons and experiences that we can all contribute to as we navigate the exciting, and sometimes challenging, journey of growth.
The why and the what: Fuelling change with purpose, autonomy, and mastery
We often refer internally to renowned author Daniel Pink. In his book “Drive,” Daniel argues that intrinsic motivations, purpose, autonomy, and mastery, are the key to high performance and satisfaction. This is never more true than during times of change. When we’ve faced new challenges, like introducing a team restructuring, these three principles have been our compass.
Purpose:
Change, at its best, is about a new purpose. Whether it’s adopting a new technology or restructuring a team, the ‘why’ must be crystal clear. When I joined E Co. in early 2023, our founder, Grant, was stepping back from day-to-day operations to focus on being the company’s visionary. The purpose of this change was to allow him to take a broader look at the organisation, its future growth and impact.
While this change was driven by a clear purpose at the top, and the team understood Grant’s position, they were understandably nervous. There was a new leader, and with that came uncertainty. My first step was to speak with every team member. I wanted to understand their passions and their concerns. I found a team full of passionate people, but a lack of clarity on the company’s overarching vision and purpose was causing some unease about the change I represented. The change had happened, but we hadn’t yet fully defined the collective ‘why’ we were all moving toward.
In my second quarter, we began building a shared vision for the company. Through online workshops and questionnaires, we collaborated to define our vision, mission, purpose, and values, which are now the core of everything we do. Once we were united around this common purpose, the team had a clearer and united sense of direction around which we could all get behind. Once they understood we were all focused on the same objective, then the change and the reasons for it, fell into perspective. We are now all driven to achieve this vision for the future.
Autonomy:
People resist change when they feel it’s being imposed on them. By giving individuals and teams a degree of autonomy in how they implement the change, we empower them. This could mean allowing a team to choose the best way to roll out a new process or giving an individual the freedom to adapt their workflow. At E Co. we have done just that. Each of the teams across the organisation were given the primary objective of mapping out and documenting their processes. We didn’t dictate the exact process. We gave them the framework and allowed them to design their own workflows and dashboards. Whilst progress has varied across the teams, where they have embraced the task fully, this ownership has made them the biggest advocates for the new system and resulted in the impact they wanted to see. It has helped clarify roles, responsibilities, and interactions, improving our overall productivity and effectiveness. When issues arise, or circumstances change, teams can refer to the documented process and make adjustments as needed and communicate those changes to all concerned.
Mastery:
Change often requires us to learn new skills, which can be daunting. As psychologist Carol Dweck has shown, however, with a growth mindset, this becomes a powerful opportunity. Her research highlights that people who believe their abilities can be developed are better equipped to embrace challenges and persist in the face of setbacks. For us, this means seeing a new process or tool not as an obstacle, but as a path to greater mastery.
To guide this development, we look to the 70-20-10 model for learning. This framework suggests that the most effective learning comes from a blend of:
- 70% from hands-on, job-related experiences (the “doing”).
- 20% from interactions with others, like coaching and mentorship (the “collaborating”).
- 10% from formal training and structured learning (the “foundational knowledge”).
With this in mind, we introduced a new and clearer framework for line managers to manage the performance of, and interactions with their direct reports. We carried out engagement workshops with the whole team to understand both line manager needs and the needs of their direct reports. Using these insights, we built and provided training (the 10%), they continue to learn by applying the new framework in real-time (the 70%), and we continue to provide ongoing mentorship on a fortnightly basis to help them (the 20%).
For us at E Co. mastery starts with our line managers. By empowering them with a clear framework and the autonomy to lead, we’re helping them master the vital skills of line management. This investment ensures a consistent, high-quality approach to guidance and support that trickles down to every single member of the organisation. As managers become more adept at listening, coaching and mentoring, they provide their direct reports with the solid foundation they need to master their own roles. This collective pursuit of mastery is how we ensure that the benefits of our growth mindset are felt by everyone, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and delivering excellence across the company.
The How: A two-way street of communication
Effective communication is the lifeblood of successful change management. But it’s not a one-way broadcast of information. As our experience has shown, true progress happens when communication is a balanced, two-way exchange. This is especially true when a change impacts a team in different ways, like the reorganisation of a team where some parts of the organisation may need to transition, whilst others do not, some individuals may need to move teams, whilst others can remain where they are, either for the short term, or for the foreseeable future.
Diverse channels
We recognise that people have different communication preferences and needs. Some prefer a detailed email, while others benefit from a face-to-face discussion. We must use a variety of channels – company-wide meetings, team meetings, one-on-ones, and written updates – to ensure everyone is reached. This is about being connected and meeting people where they are. Having experienced first hand how hard it can be when a company-wide email announces a big change, without consulting those affected, leading to a lot of confusion and a feeling of being left out. As a result, we share our ideas and plans verbally and in writing, repeatedly, we consult those affected in the lead up to get their views, we follow up with group and one-to-one meetings to discuss the specific impacts and answer questions directly and then we begin the transition process, updating and communicating as we go.
Empathetic listening
A crucial part of two-way communication is listening. We must actively listen to concerns, fears, and ideas. This is not about simply acknowledging a person’s point of view; it’s about truly understanding it. Our value of empathic reminds us that change can be difficult, and acknowledging this is the first step toward finding solutions. As an organisation, we regularly hold engagement sessions where we provide people with opportunities to be heard, where the only agenda is for people to share their experiences and fears, challenges and frustrations and to communicate their needs. It is a powerful reminder of how important it is to just listen. In addition to this, the management team holds weekly ‘Open door sessions’ where colleagues are given the platform to ask further questions or voice their concerns. As a management team, we are then able to take all these insights and feed them into our understanding of what will work best in practice and for the team.
The right level of involvement
Not everyone wants or needs to be involved in every detail of a change. Some prefer to receive a clear directive and get on with their work, while others want to be part of the planning process and then others want an opportunity to be heard and then updated as things evolve. We must respect these differences and tailor our approach accordingly. This is about fostering an environment that is truly diverse, one that honours individual preferences and needs. We’ve learned that it’s counterproductive to force everyone into a long planning meeting. Whilst we typically give everyone an opportunity to be consulted through a variety of means – interactive workshops, surveys, team meetings or open doors, we aim to identify a core group of ‘change champions’, who want or need to be more deeply involved. We will then provide clear, concise updates to everyone else either as part of routine updates, or through separate and diverse forms of communication.
Learning and leading through transition
We are on a journey of continuous improvement, and that includes how we manage change. We are learning, just as our people are learning.
By embracing a growth mindset, we see every challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. We are not expected to have all the answers. Instead, we commit to being open, transparent, and responsive. This is about building a culture of psychological safety where people feel comfortable expressing their fears and ideas. We’ve seen this in action with retrospectives we’ve held after we’ve completed initiatives, or finalised projects. They are not about finding blame, but about openly discussing what went well and what we can improve for next time. It’s an honest conversation about our learning.
Change is not a destination; it is a process. By focusing on our intrinsic motivations, nurturing our growth mindset, balancing our two-way communication, and grounding our approach in our core values, we can navigate the tides of change with confidence, resilience, and a shared sense of purpose. Together, we can not only adapt to change but also lead it.
