The need for change is ubiquitous in today’s business environment. Moreover, true leadership is recognized and celebrated when people develop a great idea for change and successfully implement that change in an organization.
You already have many ideas for how to change things for the better. You see inefficiencies every day in your job. Once you have that great idea for change, now what? The key to successful change management is making sure you lay a sturdy foundation for the change process you are advocating.
Here are three foundational steps you should take as you begin your change initiative.
1. Establish a Sense of Urgency
Establishing a sense of urgency is extremely important. By making your issue a daily topic of conversation, you will find people who agree on the need for change as much as you do.
2. Form a Change Coalition
Putting together a coalition simply means forming an advocacy group that will help you communicate and lobby for your vision. The people that you find by discussing the urgent need for change will become early members of your coalition. The members of your coalition will have one thing in common: the problem that needs changing. Ideally, populate your coalition with people from cross-functional teams as this will help you get buy-in from all levels of the organization.
3. Communicate the Ugly Reality (and Your Vision for a Brighter Future)
Once you have your coalition by your side, it is time to communicate your vision across the organization. An important part of this task is being prepared to diffuse various types of resistance you will encounter. There are myriad reasons why change initiatives meet resistance, but by recognizing that all change requires persuasion, you can better prepare your argument. The key to getting people in your organization on board is making the problem compelling and relatable, presenting data that supports your vision and appealing to their reptilian brain that your vision is the only way forward.
By devoting some time and focus to creating a good foundation for your change initiative, you set yourself up for a greater chance of success. Onit can help you be an agent for change.
To learn more about initiating your first change initiative, download our whitepaper, Your First Enterprise App: 6 Ways to Successfully Implement Change in Your Company.