Embracing Change: How to Manage Resistance and Secure Project Success

One of the hardest tasks that a leader has when Digital Transformation is announced is to deal with the resistance to the change taking place.

This is one of the reasons why?Change Management is so important?in Digital Transformation. The level of resistance can really affect whether the project will start. The implementation of Digital Transformation project should be for the greater good so why would a level of resistance occur?

Here Are 4 Factors That Contribute to Resistance to Change:

1.Lack of Trust

2.Loss of Control

3.Fear of the Unknown

4.Lack of Understanding

Each one of these barriers to Change can be easily addressed by strong leadership and effective communication.

3 Considerations That Will Help Remove the Barrier to Change in Digital Transformation

1.Clearly Communicate the ‘Why’

It’s important to clearly?communicate the ‘Why’?question when deciding to start Digital Transformation initiative. If you can’t clearly define ‘Why’ then you are probably better off not starting, as the initiative will be creating no value to the business \ customer and will just incur spend that could be used elsewhere.

Stakeholders are more likely to support change initiative when they understand the reasoning behind it, so provide as much context as possible and the benefits it will have not only to the organisation but to the team members themselves, as they are key to the implementation of the change and its success.

As Digital Transformation change is journey, leaders will need to repeat the ‘Why’ throughout the transformation so that stakeholders are aware why certain activities are taking place and in turn this will help team members to understand the change.

2.Strategy for Communicating Change

Change is an inevitable part of organisational life and is needed if you want the business to grow. To ensure that change is successful an organisation will need to implement?strategy for communicating change?which would include creating a plan on how to communicate the change across the organisation.

Like business strategy, communication strategy is an ongoing process and leaders need to keep an open line of communication throughout the change process, this will provide a level of transparency and confidence about the change taking place.

When it’s comes to communication, leaders need to be aware of its technology stack, as stakeholders may use certain applications more than others to keep informed on company updates therefore it’s important that the information is shared across several channels within the organisation.?

3. Techniques for Addressing Fears and Concerns

No one likes Change, so it’s common for fears and concerns to arise when change is announced. For any chance of successful digital transformation leader needs to face these fears and concerns head on.

A key soft skill that leaders need when addressing concerns over change initiative is listening,?actively listen to the fears of stakeholders?and make yourself approachable so that stakeholders feel that they have a forum to raise and express their feelings about what is taking place within the organisation.

The worse thing that leader can do is shy away and isolate themselves from the stakeholders, taking this approach is guaranteed recipe for failure. Instead communicate regularly and openly about the transformation and share the challenges as stakeholders would prefer to be involved than not.

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