How to implement change in your business
Last week, we discussed how you know it’s time for a change. Now that you know you need to change, here are a few ways to approach it so you don’t go off the deep end.
#1: Pinpoint the issue
It’s kind of hard to make a change if you have no idea of what needs to be changed. Whether you are a small business or a large corporation, this step should never be attacked as a solo mission. It’s good to have at least a couple of people to discuss what’s working and what isn’t. And when you can, you should bring in a third party consultant or expert to help you pinpoint what’s holding you back from your successes. They will bring an unbiased and fresh perspective to the situation.
#2: Set your change vision
Here is where you develop a vision for how you see change happening and what it will look like once you get to where you need to be. Again, working with a small team will enable you to bounce ideas off each other to determine the best focus and strategy.
#3: Determine what resources you need to execute the change
You should start out with a list of resources you think you will need to execute your change vision. This could be finances, people, technology, or even knowledge/learning. Once you have an idea of what you will need, you need to make sure you have those resources available to you or whether you can acquire them.
#4: Action plan
Now that you have determined all factors necessary to facilitate change, you need to develop a timeline and assign tasks. At this stage, you need to be able to lay out how the change will take place so your team will easily be able to follow the plan. And set a realistic timeline for your goals. Sometimes, it can take a couple of years to affect complete change in a larger organization. Attack the change in phases and set milestones. We always talk about celebrating the small wins. It’s important along the way in your action plan as well. When you celebrate milestones, your team will look forward to implementing all of the plan laid out.
Numbers 3 and 4 are interchangeable. In fact, you should be ready to adjust your resources according to you plan and your plan according to your resources available.
#5: Get the team on board
This may be the most important step you take in affecting change. If your team isn’t behind you 100%, then there is not way it will filter down throughout the business. It’s not necessarily a sense of convincing that you need change, because if change is needed, chances are they already know it. It comes down to how you approach the issue and present it to the team. It’s all about dialogue and presenting the facts rather than strutting peacock feathers while your team sits there and knows that the plan won’t go anywhere.
It’s also important that you empower your team to affect change. If they feel that they are being micromanaged, they won’t as eagerly work to achieve the company goals. Whereas if they feel that they are making a difference on an individual level, it means they matter to the team as a whole.
#6: Execute
You have a vision, you have a plan, you have your resources in place. It’s time to enact on your need for change and get ready to celebrate your milestones along the way!
