What do people feel?

The prospect of change and transformation is uncomfortable for most people, and it creates a lot of anxiety. You can’t completely quell the sense of frustration and anger felt by those who realize that their status quo is about to change.

The bridge project that you outlined makes a lot of sense, but for most people, it is a road to unchartered territory. While everyone likes progress, no one likes the unknown.

You need to understand how people feel in order to prevent chaos from setting in and having to bargain heavily with frustrated individuals. This means finding the right answers and incentives for everyone. These can only emerge if you listen carefully and uncover the hidden challenges that people might not be aware of or be willing to share openly with you.

Work to boost your teams’ ambition to deliver on the expected changes. Articulate what the change will do for everyone involved so that they understand where your bridge will take them (from Point A to Point B). It’s all about turning the “transformation storm” into the new norm.