Turn resistance
into progress
Increase the success rate of a change project
“Change is the only element of life that is constant,” said philosopher Heraclitus. Reorganizations, cultural changes, mergers, digitizing your services; change processes within organizations are the rule rather than the exception. The road to a new way of working is not set in stone. In a change process, obstacles are bound to come your way. Are you about to start as a change manager? We give you three tips to increase the success rate of your change process.
Successful change
Changes occur because of internal or external pressures. Think of revenue growth that is needed, cost reduction or events such as a pandemic or an impending crisis. Whatever the reason, the impact of your program depends on the involvement of your employees. Without their involvement, you lose speed, energy and room to innovate.
1. Dot on the horizon
Research shows that a large proportion (71%) of change projects fail to achieve the desired results. A major cause is a lack of intrinsic motivation. The “why” behind the transformation is unclear. Uncertainty and resistance then lurk immediately.
Want to make an impact? Clearly formulate what the goal is. Outline the end point and explain how the change will contribute to it. Make sure everyone understands what you are doing it for, where you want to go and the steps involved. The clearer the perspective, the more room to move with you.
2. Create support
Successful change is always a sum of individual steps. You never change a method or strategy on your own. Therefore, consciously look for people who are open to innovation. These are your “early adopters. They have a positive effect on the rest of the organization.
Involve this group in the first steps, share information and regularly check how they are doing. By actively involving them, they will spread the change message further in the organization. Support grows when people feel heard, involved and seen.
3. Communicate!
Apple pie, right? Yet communication is often a poor relation. Insecurity increases when information is shared too late, too vague or in one big deluge.
Prevent that by creating a clear communication plan. Decide what message goes out when, why you are sharing it and what colleagues can do with it. Keep people informed of choices, intermediate steps and successes. Transparency reduces resistance and makes the change tangible.
Ready for the next step?
Successfully managing change processes requires knowledge, overview and personal leadership. Would you like to learn how to manage a change process effectively and get your team on board? The practice-oriented Change Management training course in 4 months will help you do just that.
