By Elizabeth Herman┃Posted: February 18, 2019
Bringing respect for change into the workplace may not always be a top priority for beleaguered managers. Recognizing that more than 70% of change initiatives fail (Gallup), Johann Berlin, CEO, Executive Coach, Consultant And Trainer.
In general, good human relations not only makes employees and managers more productive, it reduces their stress and makes them healthier as well. The two-pronged approach to help companies cope with their stress includes brain data and human-centered leadership.
During this video of a brief introduction and panel discussion on practices that can make companies more ready to handle change skillfully, two experienced leaders join host Johann Berlin to tell their own stories about the human side of the business.
The human side of change
The following brain insights and human-centric leadership principles help explain why change often doesn’t work and how adapting to it can become easier:
- Safety first: The brain often sees change as a threat. Are our skills and departments redundant? We need to open up to new ideas just when we start to close up out of fear. It’s important to know whether the staff is looking at things from the sympathetic (fight or flight) or parasympathetic (vagus nerve) part of their brain. The latter would mean they are open to whatever change is coming.
- Power of the non-conscious: We are not as rational as we think we are, particularly in the context of change.
- Intervene in targeted ways: Understand the populations by assessing them and collecting data, before doing any interventions. Peak performers train differently than average ones, by calibrating what matters most and focusing in on doing it.
- Mind and emotion management: Understanding our own mind and emotions is a big part of showing up for the moments that matter. Are you competitive? How relaxed and open are you to cooperation with others? As Johann asks, “How long can you hold a change process in a company without a breath, without a gap?” How can you establish social connection and trust?
- Practice what works: The benefits will not come without practice. The first time we do something, it’s very powerful. We begin to see a pattern after 7 repetitions, and after 20 we start to get the benefits. After 30, we have established a new pattern. After 1,000 times doing something, it becomes effortless and automatic.
Panel guest leaders
Louis Gagnon, CEO of Total Brain and former executive at Amazon, and Rajneesh Gupta from Intuit, both relate how they used attitudes and human relationships to help build businesses from the ground up.
Louis found he had to tell himself to “Emotionally signal the fact that you’re not here to confront. You’re here to include. You’re here to solve a problem.” This technique came from memories of working with his new boss Jeff Bezos, whom Louis viewed as “the smartest guy in the world.” The story shows how he embraced a totally new environment by staying heart-centered and open to others’ diverse perspectives.
Rajneesh remembers his employees’ stress during tax season, when customers required extensive service under an approaching deadline. “My respect for the agents really grew, because their job is exhausting. Just listening to their calls for an hour, I was exhausted. And the agents were doing that over and over, all the time,” he says. His appreciation for his team led him to find techniques to help all of them deal with such stress.
In the business world, leaders are beginning to explore the human side of productivity and profit. Watching this video should help you understand your own and your team’s tendencies in the workplace, and you’ll learn to deal with them for a more successful and healthy career!
By Elizabeth Herman - PhD in English, with concentrations in Rhetoric and Composition, and Literature, she offers writing support to clients, teaches locally, lives in Boone, NC, and volunteers for a better world.
