Last Updated on August 24, 2023 by Dave Schoenbeck
Organizing for successful change management is incredibly important for the long-term success of your company. Many business owners are reluctant to rock the boat in their organization even when change is needed because they fear conflict and resistance. However, change is necessary for your business to grow, evolve, and adapt.
Organizing for successful change gets easier as you encourage and facilitate change in your business. Here are a few keys to successful change management to remember and some potential roadblocks you might face on your organization’s journey.
The Resistors
The biggest roadblock to organizing for successful change management is a group of employees I’ll call “the resistors.” These nay-sayers value the status quo and will resist nearly any change you throw at them. Experts agree that you must overcome the resistors before any change initiative succeeds.
Often, these are employees who value stability. Instead, they like to have a plan and would stick with what’s known to work rather than venturing into unfamiliar territory. These are great people on your team because they keep you in check and help maintain order in the organization. But sometimes, they need to loosen up, and you need to use the keys to successful change management to get them there.
The best way to work around the resistors is to prepare them for the change. According to Forbes, you should work hard to ensure that 70% of your employees are on board with your changes before you’re ready to make them. Organizing for successful change management can be lengthy, but it’s worth it.
How do you get 70% of your people on board? Transparency. If you help your teammates understand the need for change, the benefits of the change, and the plan to get there, they’re more likely to come around.
You need to help your employees feel secure above all else: no one wants to work where they feel their job or working conditions are subject to change without notice. Successful change management requires making this large group of people feel comfortable before you can succeed.
Keys to Successful Change Management
The keys to successful change management begin before the change is implemented. It’s essential to ask for input during the planning stages to ensure team members of all levels feel comfortable and to let them know they’re being heard. They’re much more likely to agree with a change if they can voice their concerns before final decisions.
Even if you’ve already decided on a course of action, organizing for successful change management means that you should have the patience to listen to the team members whose jobs will be affected by your decision. They might be able to offer an even better solution than what you had planned.
As their leader, it’s up to you to demonstrate the kind of behavior you want to see. Encouraging open discussion, owning up to mistakes, and maintaining an optimistic attitude are all keys to successful change management that you need to start doing if you want your employees to catch on. The Harvard Business Review has a few great examples of successful change ideas that utilize these techniques.
Honesty is always the best policy. It can be humbling to admit that your current processes aren’t working, but letting your employees know the real reason that change is needed is the best way to organize for driving successful change, especially if the change will ultimately lead to growth for the company and, by extension, for them.
As a leader, you must be the catalyst for change. History from other businesses suggests that your teammates will naturally resist. Click on my contact form, and let’s chat about how to power through the resistance and unleash successful change management in your business.
Coach Dave
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