Why Leading Change Isn't a Straight Line
When you're leading change within an organization—whether it's a school, a business, or any other team—it's crucial to understand a phenomenon known as the implementation dip. If you've ever felt like an exciting new initiative suddenly got bogged down, or that your team started to retreat to old habits, you've likely experienced this dip.
Leading change is not linear. There will always be bumps, peaks, and valleys. Expecting a straightforward path is setting yourself up for disappointment. The implementation dip is that inevitable, non-linear part of the process where the initial excitement wears off, and the real hard work of changing practice and habits begins.
What Exactly Is the Implementation Dip?
Think about starting a new exercise routine. You kick off with excitement, set your goals, and feel gung-ho for the first few days or weeks. But soon, it becomes harder to make it a regular part of your routine. You face inertia, and the temptation to revert to your old, comfortable ways is strong.
The implementation dip in a professional setting is no different. It occurs because:
- The Initial Spark Fades: The early excitement of exploring something new gives way to the reality of making real, systemic changes.
- Discomfort Sets In: Change, by its nature, involves reimagining how we go about our work. This process is uncomfortable because it challenges established practices and habits.
- The Old Way Looks Better: When things get hard, the first response is often, "It was better when we did it our old way." This leads to disengagement or a desire to shut down the new initiative and revert to the familiar.
Implementation dips are not to be feared, but expected. They are an absolutely essential part of the change process. What you can control is how you respond when you hit them.
Strategies for Overcoming the Dip
Effective leaders anticipate the dip and use it as a moment for strategic action and reflection. Here are four steps to help your team navigate this challenging phase:
1. Create Shared Awareness and Common Language
The first step in overcoming the dip is creating awareness that it's going to happen.
- Educate Your Team: Don't let the dip be a surprise. Share resources (like this blog post!) and talk openly with your team about the implementation dip.
- Build a Shared Understanding: When your team understands that the frustration, overwhelm, and tiredness they feel are a normal part of the change process, it becomes easier to move through it. Hearing someone say, "I think we're in a dip right now," and having everyone understand that common language is immensely helpful.
2. Anticipate, Pause, and Reflect
Leaders should have a preparedness plan for the dip.
- Anticipate Challenges: Before starting, discuss the challenges and difficulties you expect to encounter. Talk about how your team will respond when they arise.
- Set Intentional Feedback Points: Plan in advance when you will pause and take stock. It's often best to try a new practice a couple of times before asking for feedback, as asking too early can lead to people prematurely abandoning the effort.
- Celebrate Progress: During the pause, take time to celebrate the accomplishments you've already made. Focusing on "how far we've come" provides the fuel needed to move forward.
- Make Adjustments: Ask what’s not working so well and make realistic adjustments to push forward. This shows your team you are listening and responsive.
3. Offer Timely and Thoughtful Support
When your team starts expressing dissatisfaction or a desire to go back to the old ways, it’s a sign that support is needed.
- Be a Listener: Explicitly gather feedback and truly listen to what your team is saying.
- Respond Appropriately: Sometimes, offering support means giving your team a chance to breathe. In one example, team meetings were postponed for a month in January, not because the initiative was ending, but to allow relief from overwhelm and gather feedback for a stronger February. The key is to be very clear that the team is still moving forward—you are pausing, not quitting.
4. Return to the "Why"
When the process gets difficult, it's easy to get lost in the steps and forget the main purpose.
- Keep the "Why" Visible: As a leader, you must be clear on the direction you are going and your why. Make it a non-negotiable part of your communication.
- Connect Actions to Purpose: Take time at the top of every meeting or initiative update to state, in a sentence or two, why you are doing this. Remind your team of the overarching goal. When you hit the dip, returning to the "why" gives people the necessary perspective to make adjustments and stay steadfast in the commitment to change.
The dips are inevitable, but knowing how to respond when they hit is what separates successful change leaders from the rest.
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