“A complete overhaul can feel like criticism of existing practices,” said Alena Levitz executive director of the British Columbia Unclaimed Property Society (BCUPS). “Some staff members may have contributed to processes or policies which you are about to change.”
When Levitz started at BCUPS she had a clear picture of the changes she wanted to implement. Levitz, enthusiastic about her vision for where she would take the organization, wanted to make all of her desired changes at once.
But when Levitz tried to change too many aspects of the business too fast, staff performance suffered because employees were stretched too thin and were not always able to meet their targeted goals. To prevent her team from feeling anxious and unappreciated, Levitz needed to create a more collaborative environment where staff were involved in decision-making and implementing changes.
To realize her vision, Levitz found she needed to clearly articulate the changes she wanted to make, the reasons why they needed to be made and the timeline in which she wanted them implemented.
“When you’re speaking really candidly, you manage expectations and, equally important, you’d be surprised at some of the creative solutions people can suggest to you because of a different perspective that’s in the room.”
Enacting major changes can also be overwhelming for employees. In order to keep her team motivated and looking forward, Levitz needed to manage her priorities. By prioritizing goals and setting progression dates, Levitz was able to create a clear roadmap to her vision.
Ensuring changes are instituted comes with its own set of challenges. However, the answer for Levitz was the same: positive communication.
Updating people regularly and speaking honestly about problems and concerns is the only way Levitz felt she could reach the company’s goals.
On positive communication | “I hammer home the lesson that when you’re communicating with people you’re working with, avoid using person-specific language. You have to focus on the task; you never want to make it critical or personal. It’s bad for morale.”
