How to implement change effectively

At times it may seem that operations are going well. There is, however, an inevitable ebb and flow effect that will influence your business. The good times can only last so long. When one is poised to face these times of needed change, they will always be the victor. Your commitment to creating an environment of change, however, is only the first step. The “buy in” to these ideas This knowledge and understanding needs to translate all throughout your team. Understanding your people and the influence that change will have on them as a team will be a positive card to have in your back pocket when the time comes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• A commitment to change
• An influencial position

1. Understand common reactions to change.
   
   Think to the past when you have been involved with change; whether you were the recipient of change or you implemented it. What were key events during the change process that made it easy or difficult to endure? Use this foreknowledge as a tool to help understand those that are recipients of change.
   Change will always demand a new way of thinking or a new process to follow. Change brings a loss of predictability, habits and ways of thinking. People are generally comfortable with familiarity even when it is unpleasant. These factors and others contribute to resistance against change. When people are faced with change, it is crucial that they understand it, make a choice to participate, learn new behaviors and skills and obtain feedback and reinforcement. Most importantly people need a period of time to prepare for the change and decide for themselves if the change is necessary.
2. Leverage the involvement of key stakeholders and opinion leaders.
   
   The reality is that you will need certain people to support the change in order for others to feel comfortable about supporting it. Looking to those closest to the action for opinions and support is your way to get traction out of change. Most of the time it should be their voices that recognized the need for a change in the first place. The individuals that you enlist should be natural leaders whose opinions are heard and followed. Invite key employees to meetings or in passing to discuss ideas for change. Prepare your managers with questions to ask and scenarios to present. You will be pleasantly surprised by how intuitive your employees can be. They have valuable input and ability; don’t let it fall by the wayside while you make all the decisions from on high.
3. Over-communicate the plan.
   
   Communication is the crucial piece in managing change successfully. People sometimes need to hear something a certain number of times or in different ways before it will really sink in. Time needs to pass to give opportunities for people to think about the change and to make mental preparations. The period of time between the announcement and the date of change should depend on how complex the change will be. It is your responsibility to give your employees the tools they need to succeed. Be prepared on how you might answer questions such as “Why us?”, “Why now?”, “Do we have a choice in this?” Explain to them why it is important for your organization to make this change, or the negative effects that could ensue if these changes are not made. Inspire them with a vision of what they could become. Ask them their opinions of what they feel the benefits/consequences of this change could be. It is good for them to know that you hear them. Even if a point is made that does not coincide with the direction the organization is taking, respond in a way that reassures them that you care about what they have to say. Talk with your managers and leaders often to make certain that the material being communicated is consistent.
4. Monitor the change and seek feedback.
   
   Track the success of the change process so people see that they’re making progress and can feel a sense of accomplishment. Throughout the change process seek feedback from “nay sayers” as well as key leaders in your organization. Their observations can be valuable in discerning key events and their impact on team members and guests.
5. Your business as an organism… not a machine.
   
   Create a culture of change. Just as evolution teaches us that organisms must adapt to an ever changing environment, so must we see our business as an organism. A machine will produce precise, controlled results over a period of time. Those results, however, will not be favorable for long. “One best way” is a comfortable phrase to say; but “There is always a better way” will be of more benefit. Peter Vail described this phenomenon as “permanent whitewater”. The constant changes and stages an organization must go through to seek after greatness.

Tips & Warnings

• “It isn’t the changes that do you in, it’s the transitions…Change is situational: the new site, the new boss, the new team roles, and the new policy. Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Change is external, transition is internal.” - William Bridges