Change is Hard

People generally don’t like change.

Change within companies can mean moving out of one’s comfort zone and learning new processes. Change can highlight those that are underperforming, or where departments are overstaffed, leading to terminations. People resist change, people fear change, and, at times, people will actively work to sabotage the change.

But change is critical to the success of companies. Nowadays the buzzword to use is transformation, but this is just a collection of changes. Change is integral to any effort to improve or grow a company, whether that be changing processes, changing strategy, changing an organization’s structure, changing the targeted customers, and/or changing what we sell or where we sell.

In my career, I have witnessed change done well, and change done badly. I have found myself sitting and listening to the new company strategy, and the changes required, whilst thinking: “Why will this strategy work when the past strategies haven’t? What makes this different?” One can become jaded, to the point where one thinks: “I have too much work already to do. I will sit this strategy out, wait for it to fail and be abandoned, and for the next leader to come in with the next big idea.”

Unfortunately, many organizations manage change poorly. As leaders and managers, the success or failure of implementing change is down to us. It is critical that we approach any effort to change correctly.

If change is so hard, and so often fails, what can we do to maximize our chances of success? Most of us have been involved in transformation and change management throughout our careers, whether we realized it or not. I like to think that I have improved my approach over time. Here are the steps I generally follow: Measurement, Unbiased Analysis, Simple Strategy, Communication, Implementation, Regular Review, Reward.

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1.???Measurement

We must first work to get visibility on the current status of the company. What do we need to know, and are we measuring what needs to be measured to give us the real picture? If not, then we need to put in place measuring systems to gather the data we need.

Companies often have KPIs in place which do not fully explain the underlying reasons behind their business situation. They show how the company is performing, but not why. Keep asking (just like my five year old!) “But, why?” until you know why.

It is helpful to listen to staff at all levels of the organization. The problems and the answers are very often known within the organization, but nobody is listening, or people are too scared or unmotivated to speak up. One of the most important skills of leadership is knowing when to speak and when to listen.

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2.???Unbiased Analysis

Once one has proper data, one can properly define the current situation and identify the underlying causes and the areas to be changed. Too often companies base their strategies on what has happened before, the prevailing thoughts in the industry, or personal biases. (This is a reason why companies should look to hire more from outside of their industry – but that is a topic for another day…)

Then one can decide on where one wants (or needs) the company to be, and conduct analysis on whether this is realistic.

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3.???Simple Strategy

Only once one knows where one is and knows the destination can one design a roadmap which connects the two. I find it beneficial to turn all change initiatives into projects, and to break down the steps as small as possible – the more frequently one is ticking off complete tasks, the more frequently everyone is getting dopamine hits, and the sense of success and momentum is heightened.

Does one have sufficient staff to implement the change? Are existing staff going to be in charge of making the changes? Do they have enough time to do their own work as well as the change project? (A good project manager is well worth the investment.)

However long one has allocated for the change will likely be insufficient. Change is slow. One can force change to happen quicker than is natural, but this increases the risk that the change will not “stick”, or that staff will drop the ball on their day-to-day jobs, causing operational failure. Be prepared for change to take longer than one’s conservative estimate, but take heart that the changes happening will improve the company for years to come. (Note that I have found the speed of change to be much improved by following these seven steps.)

Make the strategy document simple: use simple words and diagrams. Ensure that it can be understood by everybody in the company; you are going to need to share this document.

And remember – in the words of a wise friend of mine – it’s not a strategy without sacrifice. If we are doing this plan, making these changes, then what are we not doing? What are we putting on the backburner? When asked what is important, “Everything!” is not an answer. Prioritize, and understand that not everything can be done at the same time. Better to get one thing completed than three things half-done.

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4.???Communication

This is not a distinct stage – it starts here and continues after the changes have been implemented. But, along with Measurement, it is the phase which is most often overlooked or done halfheartedly. It is important that communication does not start until the strategy is fully formed, else this can lead to confusion.

Leaders should consider themselves salespeople, and the workforce are the customers. Sell the vision and the reasons behind the changes to staff at all levels. Leaders should be prepared to be repeatedly challenged on their strategy, and have the patience to explain and explain again the reasoning behind it. You need everyone to understand what you are trying to achieve, what their role is within it, how it will affect them, and what the implications of not making the changes will be.

If possible, travel to the various offices and departments, and talk face-to-face to staff at all levels. Again, communicate simply, avoiding management speech, jargon, and acronyms where at all possible. Risk being patronizing to ensure clarity. Continue to regularly communicate the strategy, the progress, and the results.

Change fatigue is a real thing. Expect staff not to be excited about “another new plan.” It is a leader’s job to get them excited. One must believe in the plan to make others believe. Poor communication will greatly reduce the chance of success and increase the time to implement the changes.

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5.???Implementation

Do not hand the project off to others if at all possible. Stay involved, continue to encourage and communicate, and help solve problems when they arise. Find a balance between micro-management and being uninvolved. Your work is not over once the strategy document is complete. Roll your sleeves up and do the work if necessary.

Ensure your boss/es are aware of the work that you will be doing on the project and the time it will take for you, and how important it is for you to stay involved.

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6.???Regular Review

Implement, review, course correct. Repeat. Ensure you have the required metrics in place to be able to truly see whether change is occurring, and what results it is bringing.

Put review meetings in the calendar way ahead of time, so that attendees know when they are happening and can be prepared. Expect these meetings to improve over time.

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7.???Reward

“The reward is that they get to keep their jobs.” Really?! Rewards can of course be financial and promotions, but they should at least be recognition and praise. Be generous with these rewards, which will ensure your future changes will be more readily adopted. With the correct approach, a change project can motivate the workforce and improve the company culture.

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Turning around the fortunes of a company, a region, or a department, and insuring improvement and growth is something which I love doing, whether it be on a large scale or small. Seeing improvement from implementing changes is incredibly rewarding. Improving the company culture along the way is equally rewarding.

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Best of luck to us all in our next change projects!