Change management is an ongoing process that requires a strategic approach to ensure successful implementation. A failed change rate of more than 70% highlights the need for a trained change professional and a plan to prioritize the personal aspect of the change. To help support your new change initiative, here are 11 strategies to guarantee that changes made during implementation of a change management process are accepted by all stakeholders. The first step is to clearly define the desired outcome of the change.
This is your documented strategy for implementing the change, and you must identify where it starts, the steps you will take to reach your destination, and how you will know that you have succeeded in facilitating the change. Utilizing a work management platform can help you develop your roadmap, so you can easily share your plan and include others in the key steps of your change management plan. Transparency in communication about change management is essential, as it prepares your staff to accept change on an individual and company-wide level. To predict what form their resistance might take, managers need to know the four most common reasons why people resist change. In some situations, managers also resort to covert attempts to influence others.
Manipulation, in this context, usually involves the very selective use of information and the conscious structuring of events. Recognizing successes along the way can also help drive adoption of the change management process, as well as of the change itself. During the implementation process, change managers should focus on empowering their employees to take the necessary steps to achieve the objectives of the initiative and celebrate any short-term achievements. Once the change initiative has been completed, change managers must prevent a return to the previous state or status quo. In addition to having a plan to address changes in your organization, creating a feedback cycle in which you can continue to review and improve the measures you're taking to achieve change can help you identify challenges, remove obstacles, and adjust your roadmap as needed. Many managers underestimate the variety of reactions to change and their power to influence those responses. A successful implementation of change management brings greater levels of productivity and overall transformation for organizations; a failed implementation of change can cause organizations to go back months and harm overall business processes, productivity levels and sources of income.
As an example, Motorola failed to retire its analog models after digital innovation and lost the battle with its main competitor Nokia, which seized the opportunity. In the end, Motorola lost its leading position in its niche and was left with a poor market share of 14%.Whether you want to implement new technologies, update business processes, improve customer service, or carry out a digital transformation, a coherent change management process can help facilitate change and ease the transition for your organization. As you begin implementing your change management plan, consider the benefits of collecting and analyzing data to measure and monitor your progress.
