Caution: Change Ahead!

June 2009 - Issue 29

The pace of change this year has been astronomical. From external forces including economic, political, technological, and demographic changes to internal factors such as reorganizations, downsizing, mergers, customer buying patterns, etc. In this fast-paced world, change is inevitable, and therefore your managers must become expert at managing change.

“If you’re in a bad situation, don’t worry it’ll change.  If you’re in a good situation, don’t worry it’ll change.” ~ John A. Simone Sr., author

Just as a road detour requires calculating new plans and routes, organizational change requires managers to deal realistically with the change and plot a new course for others to follow.

Here are a few techniques to manage the “detours” in your organization and get your teams back on the “road to success:”

• Identify what exactly is changing and why: There may be many things that remain the same, which is equally important because it will provide your team with an “anchor” during the change. You need to understand the reasons for the change to explain it to others, so keep asking questions!
• Plan the change: What gets planned not only gets done, but also gets done correctly. Your change plan should include when and how you will make the change announcement, training that will be required, a timeline for implementation, and strategies to minimize the impact to productivity during the transition.
• Communicate the change: In absence of continuous communication, rumors have a chance to spread. Communication must be ongoing and two-way with a focus on listening skills. There is no such thing as “over communicating” during times of change.
• Encourage involvement: Since “change imposed is change opposed,” team members should be involved in implementing the change to create commitment and ownership. Ideas for involvement include encouraging action planning by team members and brainstorming ideas to remove barriers to change implementation.

Training workshops are available to provide change management skills. To discuss ideas for your change program, contact us at info@ManagementSkillsInc.com or call 972 881 -5282. Click here for additional information.

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