May 2003 FAQ:  Gradual Revelation: Another trip down the primrose path…

Q: Our organization will be making a major change in the way we do business. The impact on many of our employees (mostly nurses) will be great. What about the idea of gradually releasing the information about the change … telling them pieces of the change that they can digest and then telling them some more?

Answer: Unfortunately, that’s a really bad idea!  It may sound seductive, but it will only lower employee trust in the boss … “OK, what’s he/she not telling us? What will we hear about next? What’s the real bottom line on this change?” In short, if you reveal change a piece at a time, employees are likely to feel like they are being taken down the “primrose path.”

So how do you do it? Just come out with the whole change, as you understand it, from the get go. Better to get it all on the table so that it can be worked without fear that “another cloud will break tomorrow!”

By: Dutch Holland, Ph.D.

Dutch Holland, CEO of HDI, has worked as a management consultant for 30 years, helping organizations and leaders manage and implement change successfully. And if you enjoyed this short article, you'll love his new book, Red Zone Management: Changing the Rules for Pivotal Times (Dearborn Trade, Chicago, Fall 2001). Check your local bookstores or read a review at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com! Contact Dutch at dholland@hdinc.com.

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