Coaching and Leading Through Change

Change and transition are natural parts of life, and it can be hard for anyone to get through them. This is especially true for leaders, who often have to help their teams through big changes like mergers and acquisitions, layoff, reorganizations, or changes in leadership. Coaching can be a very useful tool for leaders during transitional periods because it gives them the guidance and support they need to lead well during these times. In this video we'll look at some ways leaders and their teams can work together to coach through change and transition.

Hey guys. It’s Rico. I’m a leadership coach and consultant with over 18 years of experience at companies like Zappos and Netflix. I’ve had to deal with my share of layoffs and reorgs. It was never an easy process but unfortunately one that I had a lot of practice with. These 7 steps helped me coach myself, my leadership teams and their reports get through some tough transitions. I always found myself in the position of inheriting lots of teams and finding the common thread that inspired and motivated them to do great work.

Let’s get into that list.

The first step in coaching through change and transition is to understand the change and how it will affect the leaders and their teams. This means taking the time to figure out how the change impacts the organization, the workflows, and each team member. Things like reporting structures, the logic behind the decisions and where everyone lands once it’s done. This will help the coach make sure that everyone is getting the coaching they need.

While people may be confused or looking for answers, it's important to have a clear vision. As a coach, you can help the leaders figure out where they want their team and organization to go. This vision should be real, tangible, and in line with the company’s overall goals. The coach can also help leaders share their vision with the team, which can motivate everyone to work toward the same goal.

We all know change can be difficult, but it also presents opportunities to grow and improve. As a coach, you can help the leaders find these chances and figure out how to make the most of them. This could involve finding ways the team can get better, learning new skills, or looking for new innovative ways to work together.

After figuring out the vision and growth opportunities, it's time to make a plan for how to reach these goals. The coach can help leaders make a plan that is both realistic and achievable, outlining the steps that need to be taken to reach the goal. This plan should be flexible enough to adjust as things change, but structured enough to give you a clear path to success.

Make yourself and your leaders available, it's important to talk to people. As a coach, you can help leaders come up with good ways to talk to their team that keep them informed, inspired and interested. This could be done through regular team meetings, office hours, individual check-ins, or meetings in the style of a town hall where the team can ask questions and give feedback.

Change and transition can be hard, but being resilient is the key to getting through them well. As a coach, you can help leaders and their team build resilience by giving them tools and strategies for dealing with stress and uncertainty. This includes exercises for being more aware, ways to set goals, or ways to stay engaged and motivated.

Lastly, it's important to keep an eye on how well the plan's goals are being met. This lets the leaders and their teams see what is working and what isn't, so they can make any changes that are needed. The coach can help leaders set goals, track progress, and make changes to the plan as needed.

Coaching people through change and transition can be hard, but it's important for leaders who want to handle these challenges well. Coaches can help teams do well during times of uncertainty by helping them understand the change, create a clear vision, find growth opportunities, make a plan, communicate well, build resilience, and measure progress.