A couple of my clients have shared concerns about dealing with key vendors due to major changes occurring in the vendors’ companies. One vendor is going through a substantial reorganization, and another has experienced the firing of its most senior officers without any apparent succession plan in place. Both vendors are swimming in chaos.
My clients are continuing to do business as they always have, but their situations have been fraught with challenges. Even though they have no control over either situation, they are receiving the residual runoff of their vendors’ discontent and fears.
It used to be that a leader’s focus on change management only concerned your own organization. Increasingly, however, what happens at other companies touches yours more directly so you need to pay closer attention to these situations.
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old,
but on building the new.”
– Socrates
If your organization is experiencing something similar, here are some things to keep in mind.
Pause and reset. Your relationship with a partner or vendor may need to be redefined. Meet with your counterparts and have a candid conversation about what is likely to be forthcoming and how you can best support the relationship during the transition.
Take action. It may take time to put all the changes in place, but in the meantime, you don’t want to sit back and do nothing. It’s important to take action and course correct as needed.
Stay positive and resilient. Don’t get sucked into the negativity that may be coming out of the company undergoing the change. Instead, be positive and add constructive comments or ideas as you move forward together. Resiliency is also important. The ability to bounce back from challenges can boost your own morale as well as that of your staff.
Encourage your counterparts at the affected company not to waste its energy fighting the inevitable. Embrace the opportunity to build something new, something better, and unlock the true power of transformation.
Header image by Willyam Photos/Adobe Stock.
