Leadership Challenge:

Implementing Unpopular Change Your supervisor has just informed you of a major restructuring in your area aimed at increasing efficiency. She is assigning you to implement the necessary changes. The plans are coming from headquarters and are not negotiable. In addition to losing a couple of positions, your department will be moved to a new less-desirable location across town and will have to share administrative support with another team. Upper management is further using the restructuring as an opportunity to implement a much-needed new Web-based customer relations system. Your team of 15 people is cohesive, and you know that letting go of two of your members will be hard on everyone. In addition, the new location is farther for all of you, and your offices will not be as nice. Although the new technology is welcome, there will be a great need for training and support before it can be fully implemented. On a personal level, you are very upset about the change. This is the second major change in as many years that you have had to implement without having a chance for input. You experienced considerable stress and are worried about your team’s reaction and ability to pull this through. Yet, your career depends on implementing the change.

1. How should you approach your team?

2. How much of your personal feelings should you share?

3. What are some key actions you should take?