What are the best ways to create employee ownership for a change initiative?

One thing missing is explaining what’s in it for them. It says the organization but depending on the size of the organization, the explanation may not resígnate with them or their team specifically. By insuring this is done, you increase adoption and willingness to help be promoters of the change.

Tailored communication is key in communicating the vision. There is always a high level purpose and direction for the change initiative, but if this is communicated in the same way to all areas of the organisation, the message will be diluted or even misunderstood. The purpose and direction need to be translated into what is pertinent to the people that are hearing the message, in order for it to be meaningful and engaging.

Communicating the vision well is essential. I find the SUCCES framework by the Heath brothers helpful. ? Simple: This is about prioritizing, what’s the core of the message? ? Unexpected: This is about creating surprise and grabbing attention by challenging the way people typically think. ? Concrete: Sometimes metaphors are like painting a mental picture to provide a concrete image that is lasting, which can be quite important. ? Credible: Messages can create credibility if they are conveyed by well-known figures or through the use of statistics and vivid details. ? Emotional: This involves making people care, talking to their feelings. ? Stories: These can help people connect with your message, they inspire and motivate.

Truly engaging people usually means slowing down a bit. It can feel frustrating or even scary to take any extra time with high-stakes changes, but the advice 'Slow down to go fast,' is real. If you don't take time to preview, explain, engage, and integrate employees into the change at hand, it'll backfire. I've seen leadership teams end up spending far more time, money, and energy to undo the damage of poorly communicated change than they would have had to spend up front.

Involucrar a todo el equipo desde el primer día es crucial para el éxito de la iniciativa de cambio. Cuando todos están comprometidos desde el principio, se aprovecha la diversidad de ideas y se construye un sentido de propiedad. La falta de participación desde el inicio puede llevar a la resistencia, desconfianza y desinterés, afectando la implementación y el logro de los objetivos. Es esencial establecer una base sólida con la participación de todos para garantizar una transición suave y una adopción efectiva del cambio.

Without buy-in from the employees you are leaving yourself open to not having the complete picture. When this happens you run the risk of not only low employee adoption but also having to go back and fix it.

I walk into trainings and the first day challenge them. I challenged them to learn the new tools and processes so well that they never had to see me again because they worked me out of a job. This didn’t happen however, I did have a team achieve a perfect CSAT score within months of transitioning a team from one location to another. I also celebrated these achievements with things as small as a high five to taking the teams out to lunch. Not all people are motivated by the same thing. Figure out what motivates them to continuously strive to do better.

Employee ownership for a change initiative begins with aligning incentives. Ensure that the proposed changes align with employees' personal and professional goals. This alignment creates a sense of shared purpose, making employees more invested in the success of the initiative. Recognize and reward efforts that contribute to the change, reinforcing the idea that individual and collective success go hand in hand.

Transparency is key to fostering employee ownership. Regularly share the progress, milestones, and results of the change initiative. Provide clear insights into how individual contributions have impacted the overall outcomes. This transparency not only keeps employees informed but also reinforces their role in the collective success. Celebrate achievements, acknowledge challenges, and demonstrate the direct connection between their efforts and the initiative's success.

As a leader, leaning into the skill of being able to course correct & pivot when needed is truly a sign of courage, maturity and wisdom. When including employees in the process by taking the time to hear what they have to say, an inclusive environment is created where everyone feels valued and part of the team. Of course when that door is opened, leaders have the responsibility of actually evaluating what was said (ensuring that alignment and clarity with the change initiative are met) and then debriefing the decision & the why back to the group that provided input. Taking input from employees and then acting in a silo by providing no feedback during times of change can create chaos, confusion and a breakdown of trust.

A very essential point regarding change initiatives is to identify inconsistencies along the way. What should be said but remains unsaid? What distances us further from the change initiative? In what ways are leaders or other initiatives being inconsistent? Where is alignment lacking the most? A leader, by definition, must be a hunter of inconsistencies, but the incredible value is brought forth when everyone has the mechanisms and confidence to place inconsistencies on the table, with the assurance that something will be done about it.