We often fall victim to the illusion that we can execute any change using the plan/do model. We plan something and then we expect people to do it. However, there is a middle stage involved here, one which is full of exploration, thinking, mistakes and learning.
You need to allow both your staff and yourself to learn, test and finally accept changes. The middle stage shouldn’t be seen as a sign of weakness because it is completely normal that at first people struggle.
How change is achieved
Every time there is a change, we have to start somewhere. It is the same as with our careers: we needed to study and gain some hands-on experience in order to become skilled in what we are doing today.
How about scientific revolutions? They progress rather slowly, sometimes over many years. Revolutionary shifts happen usually when a crisis arises.
The aforementioned middle period, when we are trying to execute a change, is the stage when real observing, thinking and also making mistakes takes place.
What will make you confident? You should accept that the decision-making process is complete only after introspective pondering of problems and issues has been done. You need to see that middle stage as an important part of your decision making process, according to an article on the management-issues.com website.
Middle period
Intermediary stages are periods of growth, during which you can learn to do things differently. Every large project is a cluster of issues that need to be solved. People learn as they go along and innovative ideas can often emerge.
You need to take advantage of the process when everything is mixing together. Use the dynamics of the situation when people are learning thanks to the process of change. Don’t expect excellence at every step: there is no such thing as error-free advancement.
-jk-