MANAGE CHANGE
WHY IT MATTERS
Change has always existed, it exists today, it will always exist, and it needs to. Progress, advancement, and evolution can’t occur without the vehicle of change driving it forward. Change is the reason for every progress in today’s modern world of work and living. Without change, nothing would ever improve. As important as change is, it can also sometimes be disruptive, troublesome, uninvited, and a cause of anxiety as people adjust to new realities. Leaders that manage change direct the change process in a way that enables people to understand it, accept it, and adapt to its benefits and consequences. Leaders that fail to manage change cause disarray, confusion, conflict, loss of morale, and a potential downturn in results.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that manage change want change that sticks. They want change that is meaningful. They know that when change efforts fail it is most often because of poor change management, not because change was the wrong thing to do. They see change management as a vehicle that can drive growth.
Leaders that excel at managing change don’t take change lightly. They don’t just expect things to work out. They recognize the need to have a strong change management strategy and plan. They lead change purposefully instead of allowing it to happen organically.
Leaders that manage change give top priority to clear communication. They spend the energy and resources needed to communicate well. They think about what people will want to know including why change is necessary, how it will happen, when it will happen, and how it will directly affect them. They ensure communication messages are uniform, consistent, and represent a clear voice to the organization. They provide regular progress updates to the organization knowing information dispels fear, resistance, and destructive apprehension.
Leaders that manage change win the buy-in they need to ensure they have the support that is required to succeed. They obtain the important backing of upper-level management. They create change champions within other parts of the organization. They identify who the change leaders are, recruit their support, and equip them with the resources and tools they need to drive success in their sphere.
Leaders that manage change identify those that will be resistant to change and invest in identifying and understanding their issues and concerns. They create strategies to meet with people who may resist change to listen to them, consider their concerns, provide solutions, and help them convert into advocates rather than detractors.
Leaders that manage change recognize there will always be a people component to every change initiative. Instead of overlooking how change affects people, they plan how to help people succeed. They provide people with training, required resources, and whatever else is needful to help them adjust with confidence.
Leaders that manage change have clear metrics to help measure the success of change efforts. They track key measures before, during, and after the change to justify the investment in change efforts.
BELIEFS
BEST PRACTICES
SELF-REFLECTION
WORDS OF CAUTION
Change has always existed, it exists today, it will always exist, and it needs to. Progress, advancement, and evolution can’t occur without the vehicle of change driving it forward. Change is the reason for every progress in today’s modern world of work and living. Without change, nothing would ever improve. As important as change is, it can also sometimes be disruptive, troublesome, uninvited, and a cause of anxiety as people adjust to new realities. Leaders that manage change direct the change process in a way that enables people to understand it, accept it, and adapt to its benefits and consequences. Leaders that fail to manage change cause disarray, confusion, conflict, loss of morale, and a potential downturn in results.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that manage change want change that sticks. They want change that is meaningful. They know that when change efforts fail it is most often because of poor change management, not because change was the wrong thing to do. They see change management as a vehicle that can drive growth.
Leaders that excel at managing change don’t take change lightly. They don’t just expect things to work out. They recognize the need to have a strong change management strategy and plan. They lead change purposefully instead of allowing it to happen organically.
Leaders that manage change give top priority to clear communication. They spend the energy and resources needed to communicate well. They think about what people will want to know including why change is necessary, how it will happen, when it will happen, and how it will directly affect them. They ensure communication messages are uniform, consistent, and represent a clear voice to the organization. They provide regular progress updates to the organization knowing information dispels fear, resistance, and destructive apprehension.
Leaders that manage change win the buy-in they need to ensure they have the support that is required to succeed. They obtain the important backing of upper-level management. They create change champions within other parts of the organization. They identify who the change leaders are, recruit their support, and equip them with the resources and tools they need to drive success in their sphere.
Leaders that manage change identify those that will be resistant to change and invest in identifying and understanding their issues and concerns. They create strategies to meet with people who may resist change to listen to them, consider their concerns, provide solutions, and help them convert into advocates rather than detractors.
Leaders that manage change recognize there will always be a people component to every change initiative. Instead of overlooking how change affects people, they plan how to help people succeed. They provide people with training, required resources, and whatever else is needful to help them adjust with confidence.
Leaders that manage change have clear metrics to help measure the success of change efforts. They track key measures before, during, and after the change to justify the investment in change efforts.
BELIEFS
- There is a right way to implement change. If you aren’t confident you are doing it right, you are probably doing it wrong.
- Change should never be allowed to happen by itself or evolve organically without careful leadership.
- Successful change efforts require strategic planning before implementation should ever begin.
- The more people are involved from the very beginning the better change will be received.
- It is in the lack of open communication that change management efforts often break down the fastest.
- People will align to change if they understand why it is important. Don’t focus on the “what” and “how” and skip the “why.”
- People will always struggle with change because it isn’t natural. You need to proactively help people adjust to change.
- Without support for change it will never stick. You have to get the right people on your side from the very beginning.
BEST PRACTICES
- Don’t rush into change initiatives.
- Communicate constantly and broadly.
- Create a clear picture of the “why” for change.
- Identify and create change champions.
- Use a change management process.
- Follow through on change plans.
- Accept the unknown that accompanies change.
- Involve all the needed stakeholders.
- Don’t be intimidated by resistance to change.
- Form a strong platform for change.
- Approach resistance to change strategically.
- Be patient as people adjust to change.
- Anticipate the impact of change on culture.
- Gives people the training they need to succeed.
- Involve many people in change efforts.
- Gain the commitment of key leaders.
- Be ready for the long-haul change requires.
- Seek feedback during change efforts.
- Create many ways to engage the organization.
- Ensure people have the tools they need.
- Use public forums to share progress.
- Remember that change requires persistence.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I treat change efforts with great care and caution, or do I figure change efforts will work themselves out?
- Do I have clearly defined change management strategies, or do I implement change without clear direction?
- Do I involve other people in the change management process, or do I work in a silo and exclude others?
- Do I ensure a unified voice of communication, or do I allow communication to be non-uniform and confusing?
- Do I have the needed management support for change initiatives, or do I work without the needed backing?
- Do I identify and empower change leaders in the organization, or do I try and make change happen all by myself?
- Do I identify those who will oppose change and work to win their support, or do I think I can succeed in spite of them?
- Do I take into account the people component of change, or do I just expect people to succeed without any help?
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Don’t assume that everyone is as comfortable with change as you are, and fail to adequately prepare people to succeed.
- Don’t put so many change initiatives on the organization at once that they can’t absorb it all effectively.
- Don’t become so expansive in your approach to change that your plans become too complex to see through to the end.
- Communication is the most critical element when changes are being implemented.
- I always have a specific plan when implementing a change.
- When change takes place, I never fly by the seat of my pants.
- Without good communication, plans will always fall through.
- I am really good at keeping everyone up to date.
- There are some people who will always resist change.