How do I Involve Employees in Change Efforts Without Abdicating my own Authority Over the Final Decisions?
All managers have a distinct leadership style.
Some managers practice a command/directive style, leaving their staff little opportunity to influence the plan. These managers tend to do no more than let everyone vent their displeasure with the directed change and then expect them to get on with it.
Managers who tend to be extremely supportive will handhold the staff through the change process. The group may or may not have the skills and interest to deal with the change, but it doesn’t matter with this kind of manager, who micromanages the change process. The employees may be asked their opinion at each stage, but they have learned that their ideas will usually not be heard.
A laissez-faire leader abdicates his or her responsibility for the change to the group. The leader may believe that the team truly has all the skills it needs to make the change a reality or he or she may believe that the change isn’t likely to work or be as successful as others say and consequently prefers to devote his or her time to other, more productive activities.
If a manager truly believes in the change process and respects the know-how of his or her employees, he or she may involve them in the change effort yet serve to lead the initiative, ensuring that the change is always on the right course. In practicing a participative style, a manager doesn’t abdicate responsibility as does the laissez-faire manager. Rather, the manager shares responsibility for the success of the change with his or her department, listening and incorporating their ideas into the final plan.
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If you practice this participative leadership style, there may be suggestions made that you disagree with. At that time, you may want to practice the Socratic style of managing. If you recall, Socrates never rejected any of the ideas from his students. Rather, he discussed them with his students to help them think through their ideas and improve them. That’s the role of a true participative manager.
Besides, change is too important and potentially complex to let it be a one-manager kind of thing. The wise manager will involve his or her employees in all aspects of the change process: conceptualization/visioning, depicting the desired outcome, implementation, monitoring of results, assessing actual end results/outcomes and making adjustments/fine-tuning as indicated.
And keep in mind one point: Inclusion of all employees does not mean you need to achieve consensus. While inclusion and listening are critical to building commitment to change, the process of exchange and communication is not to be confused with consensus. At times, change needs to be done without getting everybody fully committed, although it is helpful to invite everybody once or twice to get on board.