In traffic, when drivers make sudden changes in direction without notice, it creates havoc for those following them. But when those drivers use turn signals, the people around them can make necessary adjustments and avoid potential disasters.
The same is true at work. As a leader, your team is working in sync with you in the office, and each person around you is working on projects and timelines built around your previous instructions. Making last-minute changes to schedules, or pulling staff from one team to another without notice, creates a tremendous amount of turmoil and chaos.
Using Turn Signals in the Office
To help reduce that chaos, consider using “turn signals” the next time you decide to change direction on a project. Letting people know about your intentions before you act is a great way to get others to work with you, not against you. Here are three easy ways to use turn signals at work.
1. Consider Everyone’s Existing Plans, Appointments, and Schedules
Few things frustrate highly organized people more than last-minute, unplanned changes that disrupt their day. As an entrepreneur, changing your schedule may come easily to you, but not everyone is wired the same way. Understanding and respecting that will serve you well in terms of how your team responds to your meetings and decisions.
Unless it’s a genuine safety issue, try to give people at least 24 hours notice of newly scheduled meetings. Think of it as a turn signal for what you plan to do before you do it.
2. Know Where You’re Going Before You Signal a Change
Have you ever been behind a driver who signals their intention to turn, only to change their mind and take the next turn, or the next one after that? It starts to feel like they don’t actually know where they’re going.
It’s important to map out the changes you’d like to make, with specific outcomes and timelines, before announcing your intention to change course. This gives you time to work out training, minimize corrections along the way, and increase your team’s confidence in your leadership.
3. Announce Policy Changes Well Before the Implementation Date
Implementing change is always difficult. It’s even harder when you introduce it to people without giving them time to understand what’s coming. Say you decide to upgrade your computer system. Let everyone know in advance when the new system should arrive, when training times are scheduled, and set a clear “go live” date, for example, the first of next month.
This way, your employees are trained and comfortable with the changes before they’re expected to use them. You can test and work out bugs before customers are ever involved. Your staff can then see the new system as an opportunity for improvement, rather than a sudden, unsettling disruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice should I give before a scheduling change? At least 24 hours in most cases, unless it’s a genuine safety issue that requires immediate action. Even a short heads-up gives people time to mentally adjust and rearrange their own plans.
What if I need to make a fast decision with no time to signal it in advance? Those situations will happen, and that’s fine occasionally. The goal is to make unannounced, disruptive changes the exception rather than the norm, so your team can generally trust that they’ll have some warning.
Does this only apply to big changes like new systems or policies? No, it applies just as much to smaller day-to-day shifts, like reassigning someone to a different task or moving a meeting. Consistently signaling even small changes builds the habit and the trust that makes bigger changes easier later.
How do I know if my team needs more “turn signals” from me? Signs include frequent frustration or confusion about last-minute changes, employees seeming caught off guard in meetings, or a general sense that people are reacting to decisions rather than anticipating them.
