Why Change?

When I speak on the topic of change, I cannot help but get to the heart of the matter.

In order to do so, we must ask three important questions when considering a corporate change.

• WHY are we changing?
• WHAT specifically are we changing?
• HOW do we do it?

WHY - when considering why we are changing there are numerous items to consider.

• Do we need to change or else?
• How will this change affect our staff?
• Will this change improve our internal and/or external position?

Change can be hard. Understanding and effectively communicating your WHY can be the glue which keeps the team together during this process. A key when understanding your WHY is to include the stakeholders primarily effected by this change in order to help clarify why you're changing.

WHAT - when considering what we are changing it is important to identify the exact specifics about what is changing. Again, getting input from the stakeholders that are primarily effected by this change can help clarify the details. These details, once clarified, can be efficiently communicated (ideally in-person, when possible) to the masses so as to help head off any angst, resistance, and possible adjustments than may need to happen before starting the change engine.

HOW - knowing how to change can take many different forms and the true action of the change process. It doesn't matter if you are able to effectively know your WHY and WHAT if you're unable to know HOW to make this change. I've created a simple process for doing so and call it my - Five RULES of Change. RULES is an acronym and each letter represents something. Below is the crib-note version of my Five RULES.

Refocus - at the beginning of any change process there is a refocus. This includes the WHY and WHAT and the strategic planning or establishing of new objectives. (EXAMPLE - when the Prohibition Act occurred, Anheuser-Busch refocused by going from brewing beer to making malt extract, ginger ale, and even car and appliance parts)

Use Your Network - this is often part of the change process that is overlooked. Once the refocus is established it is important to tap into your internal AND external network in order to help the implementation. (EXAMPLE - Anheuser-Busch tapped into their beer distribution network and used them for distribution of their new product lines)

Let Go - bar none, one of the most difficult aspects of the change process, yet imperative for moving forward. This could be an emotional and/or practical letting go. (EXAMPLE - Anheuser-Busch and thousands of their employees had to let go of the fact they were brewing beer. Multiple plants and processes had to be drastically changed)

Execute Your Plan - as mentioned, change can be hard and this is where the work and grit is needed. This is also a time where potential adaptations to the change plan may need to occur. Plan - Do - Check - Adjust. (EXAMPLE - during the 13 years of Prohibition, Anheuser-Busch went from making malt extract to ginger ale to car and refrigerator parts)

Someone (Mentor) - having someone (a mentor, so to speak) can greatly assist an organizational leader during the change process. Namely, someone who is or has been where you want to be. (EXAMPLE - August Busch, who took over Anheuser-Busch after his father's passing six years before Prohibition, was able to bend the ear of Franklin D. Roosevelt who was governor of New York and soon to be president. Interested in Busch's open letter view on Prohibition, Roosevelt guided Busch through the upcoming end of Prohibition)

So, before making your next big change delve into the answers of these three questions:

• WHY?
• WHAT?
• HOW?

For a deeper dive or support in YOUR change do not hesitate to reach out to us so you can FACE CHANGE LIKE A CHAMPION!!

Email - [email protected]