How can you stay motivated and continue motivating and inspiring your team after a mass layoff? How can you manage this organizational change? Product leaders need to consider several factors in this situation. One is value alignment. Another is change management – internally and externally. And they also need to think about looking ahead. In this talk, Oscar Health Product Leader Aditya Subramaniam gives tips for motivating yourself and your team post-layoffs.
Join us for new conversations with leading product executives every week. Roll through the highlights of this week’s event below, then head on over to our Events page to see which product leaders will be joining us next week.
On accepting change
Change is inevitable, and it is not always easy to navigate. In his recent product management webinar, Aditya Subramaniam shared some insights on managing organization change post-layoffs. In this blog post, we will highlight some key takeaways from the webinar.
One of the first things to do when dealing with change is to accept it. It is natural to mourn the loss of colleagues and teams impacted by changes such as job cuts. However, it is important to eventually accept the change and provide solidarity with affected stakeholders. Acceptance allows one to develop a positive frame of mind to help execute the new vision of the organization.
On reinforcing the mission of the org
Another important step in managing organizational change is to reinforce the mission and vision of the organization. Whether the strategy is changing or the organization is pivoting, it is important to ensure that the values align with the new direction. This will help execute the new strategy and communicate it to stakeholders, including customers.
Effective communication is critical in managing change. Transparency is key when dealing with stakeholders from different parts of the organization, including sales, account management, customer support, and marketing. For example, if the team’s capacity has been impacted by layoffs, communicate the impact and share the plan to mitigate any negative effects. Keep the customers informed about any changes in the roadmap and take a leadership role in the communication.
On being proactive
Managing change involves predicting potential future changes and being proactive about them. Identify potential risks and develop optimistic, pessimistic, and realistic scenarios to mitigate any potential negative effects. Be aware of any disgruntlement within the team or stakeholders and take proactive steps to manage any disruptive personalities that could create a toxic environment.
In conclusion, managing change is not always easy, but it is critical to navigate it successfully. By accepting the change, reinforcing the mission and vision, communicating effectively, and being proactive about potential risks, one can successfully navigate change in the organization.
About the speaker
Aditya Subramaniam has been in product for over a decade, almost entirely at early- to mid-stage technology startups, and across multiple industries like mobile security, education, and healthcare. He is particularly passionate about B2B and B2B2C products, partnering directly with customers to develop world-class solutions. Outside work, he enjoys playing tennis, reading books, and listening to death metal.