If You Don't like Something, Change It
I am the king of implementing changes that don't work. I'm not beating myself up, it's just the truth. I like to think of it as failed experiments, but when I dig deeper I think I didn't really give some of the new changes a chance to take root. So while I was researching how to make changes that stick, I thought maybe what I found out could help you too!
How to Make Changes That Last!
We've all tried to implement change for different reasons. The company grew, we lost a key player on the team, new technologies can streamline processes, and my personal favorite, anything that follows "wouldn't it be cool if..."
But implementing change without a plan is rolling the dice. here are some of the steps I'm going to take next year as we try to keep the Bureau evolving in a healthy way.
Focus on the Desired Outcome
If you can't verbalize why you're changing something then slow down and think it through. How will this change support the team, clients, and the company? What are the potential challenges and what will it take in terms of people, time, and money to make it work?
Once you're confident it's a valuable change and you can share it confidently, it's time to get support.
Rally the Troops
According to the Harvard Business Review, almost 70% of changes companies try to implement fail. The main reason? We focus on processes or tools for the change, but not the people impacted. If you want change to work, you have to understand how it's going to impact the individuals on the team. Make sure they understand the vision for the change and the positive impact they could experience. But also be honest about possible pitfalls.
Now that you've got some support, figure out the details.
Put Together a Plan
No matter how much a new idea seems like a no-brainer, it's going to need a plan. Strategize the schedule, people needed and any funding required to make it happen. And keep focusing on the benefits now more than ever. Once you start sharing with folks that implementing change is going to be work, the payoff at the end can keep people on your side.
Remember the need to keep people on your side? Well once you have a plan, expect some critics to emerge.
Plan for Resistance & Delays
It's human nature to avoid conflict. And for a lot of folks who may have heard your earlier ideas they probably didn't really think through what it would mean for them. Or they figured it was just a thought but wouldn't come to fruition. But once you have a plan and start talking about timelines and the support you need, they'll pay a lot more attention. Because now you may be impacting their timelines and plans.
As these challenges come forward there's a good chance it's going to impact the schedule and possibly the people and other resources you thought you had available. But you knew this could happen. So smile at how dang smart you are and figure out a way forward.
Keep Your Eye on the Why
While it's valuable to celebrate small wins to keep everyone motivated, progress is not success. And neither is hitting certain milestones. Remember the why of this change and stay focused on succeeding based on the outcomes, not just recognizing the changes that are happening.
And once the change is successful that is only the beginning. Now that everyone is realizing the benefits of the new way, make sure you're thinking about how to document the impact and share it across the company. Sustainability is every bit as important as initial success.