Change Management - A personal touch

Managing a new evolution, a new inspirational idea, a new way of innovative thinking or any other minor or major change on an everyday business process requires a delicate touch. Once an initial idea of a modification on a business process is conceived, a couple of additional requirements need to be met before it can be presented to the key stakeholders and a business buy-in can be sought. A benefit analysis must be in place, as well as an assessment of the impact such a modification will have on the business. Finally, we need to evaluate the level of business readiness to absorb the changes and we are good to go!

 But hmm, wait a second…maybe things don’t always go so smoothly…

 I have seen major changes being widely successful and minor ones falling flat on their faces. Of course there are a lot of factors that influence the result and sometimes it could even be an unfortunate combination of random events. It could however also be due to the management’s inability to support and drive the change forward. The cause of said inability could be a loss of faith in the change itself or poorly set up support teams that fail to meet the expectations of those involved. Another possible hindrance to the implementation of a new idea could be a strong resistance from the workforce which can be especially hard to deal with.

What’s indisputable is that certain principles must be upheld to facilitate and promote the transition. There needs to be a strong emphasis on the need for change, priorities need to be set and thereafter organised by level of complexity, and the community that will be impacted either by implementing or living through the new norm needs to be supported.

Whatever the case may be and under any circumstances, some basic principles should always be adhered to. To elaborate, these are the following,

·        Always make clear statements

·        Ensure that any change is clearly defined

·        Describe in proper and understandable language the expected benefits

·        Highlight how crucial teamwork is

·        Use “we must” instead of “you must”

·        Set up a network of change agents/key focal points

·        Plan and follow-up constantly

The aforementioned principles must clearly be followed although we shouldn’t forget that a successful change can only come as a result of well-established trust between the management and the workforce. Trust that can inspire teamwork among all levels of staff and promote a feeling of mutual support as a result of having a common goal. The impact of any degree of change on a daily process can be significant and as such, questions should always be encouraged and concise answers should always be available.

My personal view through many years of experience however has caused me to consider some underlying guidelines that I believe contribute greatly towards a successful change. I’ve used these to always stay on track, both in terms of personal values and efficiency in the industry. There are a lot of “traps” one can fall in while trying to be accepted by their peers, however they only lead to eventual failure or at the very least personal dissatisfaction.

Firstly, don’t alter your ideas to make them more likeable. While surely you can change your mind through discussion and feedback, be certain that you are doing so because an aspect you hadn’t thought of came up or you realised there was a better way. Don’t simply change something to please individuals whose approval you seek. Stick to your guns and don’t undermine yourself. The trick is to be confident but not stubborn.

Another issue can be the difference between a change in theory and in practice. More often than not, a detail that increases the difficulty of an implementation will slip by. That’s perfectly fine and should be expected. What isn’t fine however, is making changes to your original plan that lower its overall value significantly just to ease the process. Not to say that compromise is bad but it should always be done mindfully and in moderation.

At any rate, what I value the most is openness and transparency. Taking the first step forward to lead a change means you will find yourself in the crossfire and rightfully so. You will be flooded with questions and your idea will thoroughly be looked into. People will try to poke holes into it as they should and you will need to reassure them. This implies that you have gone through that very process on your own and have already thought of the questions that need to be answered. Regardless, if you find yourself being asked something unexpected or a ‘what if’ scenario is brought up that you haven’t considered, be truthful and honest. You can always regroup and return better prepared with a more complete plan that is more likely to succeed.

Once you’ve gone however through the first hurdle and have secured the initial backing needed to get on with your idea, you need to understand that you’re no longer acting alone but rather as part of a team. It’s pretty obvious that no leader can lead without a team and no team can act without a leader and as such you should treat them with the respect and appreciation they deserve. You are in the end of the day working towards the same goal. It’s your responsibility to stand by them and fully support them just as much as it is theirs to try and bring your plan to fruition.

Finally, you should always think of the bigger picture. A solid change affects multiple layers of the business and sets the groundwork for further development in the future. Coming up with an idea that affects a small part of a process can be easy and straight-forward but won’t always justify the resources that might need to be allocated. To put it bluntly, go big or go home. The greater the benefits, the greater the risk though and it is our job to minimize that risk and strive for progress and success.

A business change is one of the most challenging tasks and the goal is to transform the process to achieve higher effectiveness and efficiency. Managing the change can be simple if you are honest with yourself and the team around you. Rest assured though, it can become a nightmare if the resistance to change brings into the open half-thought ideas, questions that cannot be answered and benefits that are disputable. It’s a challenging game and you must always be prepared to battle your way through, armed with good communication and preparation.

There are many managers but the title of leader is reserved for those that have earned the respect of their co-workers and are visionaries in their field. We should keep in mind after all that it’s not about who holds the most power but who has the ability to trigger a mind-set change. The sooner that’s appreciated the faster change will come!