Change

Most organizations experience change.  Sometimes the change is gradual and hardly noticeable until you think back to how things were a year or two before.  Other change is conscious and has a distinctive timeframe – where the old way ceases to be and the new way becomes the norm.  The challenge comes when you’d like the entire organization to embrace and accept the change.  Here are some tips to meet that challenge.

Tip 1:  Early.  Remember if you’ve initiated the change, you’ve got to give your staff time to catch up.  You may understand the why, what and how the change needs to be done – the sooner you can bring your staff in on the why, what and how, the better.  Give them some time to understand – instant acceptance is not going to happen.

Tip 2:  Involve.  Get as many people involved in the change as possible.  Delegate parts of the project.  Put some in charge of implementation, others in charge of creating procedures and still others involved in training.  The more the better.

Sub-tip:  Put those most likely to complain in charge of an important part of the change.  This can circumvent a difficult situation.  Instead of complaining about the change, they will be part of the change.

Tip 3:  Ownership.  Two examples come to mind.  (1)  If you’re changing the rooms of your children – new house or re-allocation of space – let them pick their paint.  If there is new furniture involved, let them pick the furniture.  (2)  If you want your children to eat vegetables, let them choose which ones at the market.  Taking ownership of an aspect of the change can make the difference.  Look for ways each individual can make the change part of their own way of operating.

Tip 4:  Over communicate.  Keep your entire organization informed each step of the way.  You cannot communicate too much, if you want everyone to feel they are a part.  Ensure that the communication not only comes from the top down, have the bottom up report what they are doing too.

Sub-tip:  Ensure all leadership has a consistent message and is supportive of the change.  Get buy-in from each level of leadership and monitor the buy-in as you move forward.

Tip 5:  Face to face.  The communication has to be in person, not email or notices.  You’re building relationships, trust and understanding among your employees.  It doesn’t happen with impersonal communication.  Always remember that communication is more than words – it includes actions and emotions too.

Tip 6:  Listen.  As you’re moving through your plans and implementing your change, listen to your employees.  When faced with the challenges, have them come up with solutions.  When you need to adjust your plans, adjust them based on input.  Communicate any changes that are as a result of employee input.  These simple actions build trust during times of uncertainty.

Have you been through any major changes at work?  What have you learned about implementing change?  Any tips you’d like to share?  Leave your comments below.

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