Go Slow to Go Fast: Slowing down to build relationships makes change management faster

The Change Manager's Paradox

As a change manager or leader, you've likely faced this frustrating paradox: your vision for change is clear and urgent, but it's not getting traction. Despite all the memos, meetings, and explanations, you feel like you're getting nowhere. The truth is, you may be working too fast.

You may be working too fast. And - ironically - you wouldn't be alone. The change makers who hold the vision see it clearly, but there are many others who need to be aligned in order for your vision to properly hit its tipping point.

The Power of the 'Slow Down': building relationships in change management

While working for an Australian education institution I was smashing through the process: impact analyses, stakeholder assessments, operating model adjustment and alignment. Change management tools are so good at summing up the nature of the change and leading to specific action plans that it was clear to me, the change team and the small group of stakeholders we'd engaged in the process. We were ready to mobilise.

While I was busy with the process and our formal tools, our Implementation Manager was doing something different. They appeared to be 'micromanaging' by constantly asking questions and running parallel processes, but they were actually gathering informal intel. This seemingly slow-down tactic was giving them time to build relationships, which was the secret to their ability to make progress.

The Secret to Getting Buy-In

Going slower gives more time and space for stakeholders to become familiar with the change through informal channels: corridor conversations, coffee and catch ups. And informal conversations often elicit more honest feedback than formal channels. It may seem counterintuitive that slowing down to build relationships makes change management faster.

In a formal meeting, people often feel pressure to align with the proposed vision, but over a coffee, they're more likely to share their real fears, concerns, and objections. These corridor conversations offer a crucial 'back channel' for intelligence that no formal survey can provide.

Naturally, there's a balance between 'venting' and constructive comment; and this needs to be managed closely. But this can be why when we launch comms to our audience we get a lukewarm reception. People aren't sure yet how they feel about the change, and they may not fully understand it.

If informal networking isn't your natural strength, there's probably an ear-to-the-ground type in your team already. If you're the diligent, organised change maker, chances are you're on top of impacts, readiness plans, strategic alignment, key messages, stakeholder awareness. You've probably given it a lot of thought and you're prepared, ahead of the game. But if you launch your ideas without any intelligence from the available back channels, you won't have all the available information.

The same is true in start-ups and in any new endeavour: don't over-prepare until you know how to sell it. This includes knowing what the objections are going to be. Taking the time to validate early, will definitely slow you down - particularly if it's via informal networking. But slowing down now to match the pace of the audience will build trust and relationships for the future that will not only prove essential to overall success, they are so often the fuel that gets a successful project across the line.

Turning Informal Feedback into Formal Action

You can, and probably should, attempt to bring the informal feedback into some kind of formalised structure. You can do this through reviewing your stakeholder list and determining whether it's complete, and whether you've allowed enough time to engage with influential people. Your main aim here is not to get them to agree to the vision, but to build a relationship. If people genuinely 'like' you, and appreciate your efforts to treat them as individuals, they'll be more likely to suspend disbelief about the change until they've fully understood your vision as clearly as you do.

Building these relationships takes persistence. Understandably, some stakeholders may not want to open up to a complete stranger about a significant change at work! You may need to find people who know people who can put you in better range of the informal feedback you're looking for.

Your Fastest Path to Success

Remember, you need to understand how the change audience truly feels about the disruption you're about to cause in their lives. The fastest implementation is a successful one. In order to get to the final outcome, you may need to slow down and drink more coffee.

The fastest implementation is a successful one, and that often means slowing down to build the trust and relationships that fuel success. At Agencia Change, we can help you navigate this process. Our bespoke consulting services, from coaching leaders to advising on project strategy, are designed to give you control over the change you want to create. Contact us for a free 15-minute consultation to learn how we can help you get across the line.

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