Leaders can always rely on change to be a constant. If you are envisioning a change soon, chart a clear course and get the right building blocks in place. What follows is a list of ways to help you manage change and engage the entire organization in the process.
Begin at the top.
Teams that have one voice are best positioned for success. Without it, there can be downstream commitment ramifications. The CEO and the leadership team should be at the center for modeling strength, support, and direction for any major change initiative. They should embrace the direction of change, be ready to model the changes, and be ready to motivate and/or challenge the rest of the organization.
Create ownership.
Ensure ownership by involving everyone. Push responsibilities for the change strategy (from design through implementation) across the different layers of the organization. Make sure change leaders are aligned to the company’s vision, equipped to execute their specific mission, and motivated to make change happen. Make sure all leaders are willing to accept responsibility for making change happen in all of the areas they influence or control.
Consider the cultural landscape.
Early on in the change process, define cultural factors that can influence acceptance or resistance to the change. Understand and account for culture and behaviors at each level of the organization. Identify the core values, beliefs, behaviors, and perceptions that must be taken into account for successful change to occur. These insights will serve as the common baseline for designing essential change elements, such as the new corporate vision, and building the infrastructure and programs needed to drive change.
Create a solid case for change and communicate it often.
Getting employees to think and act differently requires more than just systems redesign and process change. Too often, leaders make the mistake of believing that others understand the issues, feel the need to change, and see the new direction as clearly as they do. Typically, that is not the case. That is why it is best to create a formal change case and a supplemental communication plan.
To ensure an effective communication strategy, solicit the input and feedback of all your stakeholders. Outline who should receive communications and how the organization will provide the right information at the right time. Make sure the communication plan communicates how employees’ work will change, what is expected of them during and after the change program, how they will be measured, and what success or failure will mean for them and those around them. Have leaders reinforce the core messages through regularly timed communications that leverage a variety of communication methods (i.e. email, training sessions, videos, newsletters, and town hall meetings, etc.) throughout your change efforts.
Don’t lose sight of the emotional component of change.
Change can be a very personal journey and can be unsettling for people at all levels of an organization. The impact leaves employees feeling uncertain and resistant. Dealing with these issues on a reactive, case-by-case basis puts speed, morale, and results at risk. Create a formal approach to managing change that includes how you will manage and react to emotions.
Having an established system for carrying out change programs will help employees understand the necessity for change and help leaders motivate the organization to follow the new direction in the midst of challenges that will come along the way.
What approaches do you use to manage change efforts? Comment below and share your ideas.