Embracing change is not just about the tactical work that needs to be done; it’s also about understanding and managing the emotional journey of those going through it. Incorporating mindfulness practices helps us avoid overlooking the human element.
Mindfulness, in simple terms, is the ability to know what is happening in one’s head at any given moment without being overwhelmed by it. This article dives into a few mindful strategies that I’ve used to enhance change management plans, by focusing on the human experience that is oftentimes overlooked in the process.
Change. It is the only constant we have. It may be a small change, like leaving the house 5 minutes earlier so that you can get some extra steps in, or something larger like leading a large-scale transformation project. It is apparent everyday, throughout all facets of our lives.
As practitioners, they teach us that change is 80% navigating human emotions, motivations, and resistance, while 20% is the actual tactical change itself. Interestingly enough, it seems that many change efforts fail at keeping that 80% in focus (which could be why some changes are painful, or don’t stick long-term).
This article is going to step through a few strategies that I’ve used to put our human needs at the forefront. I will share examples of mindful activities that I’ve used in the past that helped more proactively address the 80% emotional side of change.
At the beginning of any change, it is always a good idea to do a readiness assessment. This step gives you insight into how people feel about the upcoming change, and can allow you to proactively address concerns head on, and involve those impacted early.
As part of addressing the readiness for change, I often rely on facilitating a hopes and fears exercise. This early inclusion of those impacted not only gives people a safe space to share what they are nervous or excited about, it also gives those leading the change helpful insights that can help mitigate risks of resistance or identify gaps in the current change plan.
And this exercise isn’t just used at the start of a change. We continuously review and adapt this feedback throughout the change. During a check in, I ask “what is still true here, and what has changed?” to drive more conversations about how the change is going, and what risks that we couldn’t see before have bubbled up. I also use this as a tool to continue building trust with the group driving the change efforts.
As a change management plan progresses, it is common for anxieties to bubble up along the way. These can easily spawn into assumptions about the future, and quickly spiral into a ‘doom and gloom’ scenario for those impacted.
To stay ahead of this, I not only recommend ensuring there are regularly scheduled check-ins for your teams to review progress and challenges, but to also include activities that provide a safe space for those adapting to the new environment to express any concerns or findings along the way. Insert mindfulness here! By sprinkling a few mindful activities in your check ins, you can help individuals and teams navigate change, cope with uncertainty, and maintain focus during times of transition.
Here are a few other examples of mindful activities I’ve used to compliment change initiatives.
15-Minute Reset
I learned this short, semi-guided meditation from a friend and LOVED the focus it brought me, so I decided to offer this practice to my teams. This reset is intended to help increase focus on relaxing the body, releasing tension, and sitting quietly in order to find your calm so you hop back to your day, refreshed.
This technique may be beneficial to hold as a separate meeting prior to a large workshop to increase focus and ease tensions. It could also be held anytime throughout a particularly challenging week, or even at the end of the week so that folks can decompress and ease into the weekend ahead.
Mindful Journaling
This technique has proven to be useful during change events in two ways. First, my team was given the space to process an upcoming change in a safe and non-judgemental way, and second they had an opportunity to make an internal commitment to how they want to be during the change.
To facilitate, I prepped a few questions to share on the screen, and reserved 20 - 30 mins at the end of a longer meeting for the activity. The team was advised to answer these questions silently, through writing, and that they would not be asked to share what they wrote.
The last question was all about personal commitment. The prompt read “How do I want to present myself throughout the change? What commitments do I make to myself and others around me?”
5 Senses Activity
This activity is all about re-centering yourself. During the pandemic, I invited my team to join me in this exercise - with all the change happening in the world, it was important we took a moment to find some calm space for ourselves.
To lead this activity, you ask your attendees to find a comfortable seat, and step them through each sense, providing an example or two to get started. Allow about 30 seconds to a minute for each sense.
5 things you can see
4 things you can hear
3 things you can feel
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
I specifically remember the birds singing as part of my ‘things you can hear’ as it was spring and the windows were open.
Embracing change involves more than just the practical steps; it requires acknowledging and supporting the emotional journey of those impacted. Including mindful practices throughout ensures the human side of change is not overlooked. By integrating these and other mindful strategies, we can navigate organizational transformation with greater empathy, resilience, and effectiveness.
If you are interested in learning about these and other compliments to the change management process, reach out to Transformation Catalysts today. And keep an eye on our LinkedIn page for details about our next 15-Minute Reset offering!