It’s January 2022. Where were you in January 2021? Did you create SMART goals? Define your Key Performance Indicators? Make time for your business? During the year, did you do any of that? The only way to be further ahead this same time next year is to do things differently.
In other words, changing. Yep, change – That dreaded word that no one likes. Change is rarely easy but almost always necessary. Successful change is managed, which means you need a plan. A change management plan has six key elements:
- Leadership Alignment
- Your C-Suite needs to be all on the same page, marching to the same drummer and going in the same direction. If your leadership team is out of alignment, wait to implement until they are all in agreement. Change will fail when leadership doesn’t believe it is necessary or better.
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Engagement is more than outreach or messaging, it a two-way interaction. There is active response, whether that be filling out a form, visiting the website, donating, etc.
- Communication
- Craft your communication strategies so that you are building awareness, understanding and engagement.
- Change Impact and Readiness
- Work to understand how ready and receptive your audiences, internal and external, are to making the change. Identify barriers and address them.
- Training
- If new skills or education is needed for change implantation, plan for it. Assess the organization thoroughly so that the necessary training and/or coaching is built in.
- Organization Design
- Assess your current structure. Does it support the desired outcomes? Do reporting structures, teams and responsibilities need to move and adjust to support the change? Do this holistically: looking at the big picture and the organization as a whole.
Of all six, communication is the most important. Ensure messaging is consistent across all audiences. Build in listening opportunities so you can understand feedback, obstacles and where your team is on the Change Cycle. Words matter, so pay close attention to what people are saying. Meet often, regularly, and frequently. Identify Change Champions at every level of your organization that understand the goals, expected outcomes, tactics and can troubleshoot.
If you need assistance building a change management plan, call us, (951) 294-3190. You can also visit our contact us page and let us know what you need. We can help.
