Talking Stick - November/December 2016 - 30

SPECIAL FOCUS
plan was huge and overwhelmed folks,
especially because as implementers we
were overwhelmed working with it to
map it out, so we knew not everyone
was going to automatically identify."
Staff need to be fully informed, and
they need to be part of the process;
managers can help by creating feedback
loops for staff to vocalize their concerns
and by taking actions to alleviate or
address them. The story Pelaez shares
models this practice. "We have been
trying to work with people to identify
how and where the plan connects
with their work, and this has required
ongoing training, discussions, and
individual consultations."
After letting go of the old and
reorienting towards the new, staff
need to adjust to another way of being
- the new beginning. Again, strong
leadership is needed to move them
forward. Pelaez refers to herself as
"an ambassador for the plan," a role

that was strengthened by collaboration
"with our executive team and my
colleagues across the division." Staff
may feel uncertain about how to move
forward, are afraid to make mistakes,
and may hang back to see how others
react. What they need at this point is a
clear understanding of what their role
is in the process. Kyle Bavis, associate
application administrator at Indiana
University, notes, "I was concerned
about the pace of the process. I got
the sense that there was too much
consensus decision-making happening
amongst the middle management
group, slowing an already complex
process." At this stage, the priority
for leaders is to get staff invested in
successful implementation of a given
change. Bridges and Mitchell suggest
using what they call the four Ps of
transition communication: the purpose,
picture, plan, and part. Leaders must
remind staff of the purpose of the
change, must share a picture of what

is in store for them in the future, must
share the plan with staff as well as
sharing and celebrating milestones,
and must involve them by giving them
a part to play in the change initiative.
Organizational change may seem
like a very straightforward process:
Identify the problem, come up with
a solution, and then implement the
plan. But change is not so linear or
predictable. It involves moving people
from one state of being to another, and
managers must lead the change and
manage the transition. 

Megan Bottoms is an assistant director
of residential life at Indiana University
Bloomington.
 mbottoms@indiana.edu
Julia Joshel is an assistant director for
residential life at Indiana University
Bloomington.
 jjoshel@indiana.edu

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Talking Stick - November/December 2016

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