151 Quick Ideas 31-45 Quick Ideas 42-44 worked for recognized the uneasiness change could cause employees. One em- Assignment ployer understood the poten- Break down the phases tial for high-stress among of a planned change. Brain- employees when it consid- storm with a committee on ered replacing its computers. how to offer support. Employees would quickly go from masters of one system to novices of another. The company supported us through every phase of the pro- posed change. It asked employees to serve on a committee that would choose a system. It issued memos about upcoming changes well in advance. It provided training and materials. Once the system was in use, it asked employees to alert their supervisors to any difficulties. It didn't assume employees would embrace the change. It simply made it easier to do so. Like anything else in business, change is a process. If you provide employees support along the way, you will lower their resistance to it. Epilogue "In times of rapid change, experience could be your worst enemy."--John Paul Getty Nix Managers' Gossip About Employees Some managers excel at missing opportunities, espe- cially when the opportunity involves staff development. I've 44 65