Change is the very nature of business. And if we resist change, we become a victim of it. That's why smart business leaders know it's essential to leverage change management, to ensure your organization makes the most of the opportunities presented by change. Having a change management consulting partner or process improvement consulting firm can make change management seamless and help your organization move forward with a shared vision.
So what are the key strategies for companies to utilize when change is imminent? Here are the keys to change management, from the business consulting experts at EO Johnson Business Technologies.
Managing project change or organizational change is no easy task. It helps to have an understanding of successful strategies for change management to ensure smooth implementation. Developing a plan with a clear change scope that includes identifying roadblocks to success, a communications approach, and pinpointing stakeholders and key audiences is a good start. Here are the steps we recommend for change management success.
1. First, prepare.
Proper change management can only occur when you have prepared stakeholders for the upcoming change. That includes educating employees about why the change is necessary and beneficial. Skip this step and you are likely to find employee engagement will drop and resistance to change can stymie your efforts. But staff who feel included in the process and who have an understanding and appreciation for the need for change will be a greater source of assistance when change is implemented.
2. Develop your plan.
When key players are ready to embrace the upcoming shifts, it's time to develop a plan for making it happen. This plan should include your organizational goals that the change will support, as well as what success looks like and how it will be measured. You should also assign tasks and responsibilities to stakeholders, and clearly define the project scope. And of course, take care to identify barriers to success that might occur.
3. Ready, set, change.
It's time to make it happen. Move forward with the steps you have painstakingly plotted out, being sure to support employees as they move toward the organizational goals. Communication is essential throughout the entire process as it will help staff maintain focus on the goals and strategies in place.
4. Don't look back.
For changes to remain in place, the company culture must embrace them, or you risk going back to the previous way of doing things. It's especially important to be aware of this risk when implementing changes to process, company culture, or strategic approaches, to ensure they become a part of the company ecosystem for good.
5. Track successes and opportunities for improvement.
Not every change that is implemented will be a success. As with any major initiative, it's important to take time to analyze the success of the initiative and glean insights that you can use in future change management opportunities.
Again, a change management consulting partner or project management consulting expert can help you every step of the way, so that your change management efforts have a greater chance of success.
When it's time to improve your business's processes and performance, you don't have to go it alone. At EO Johnson Business Technologies, we have a team of experts who can help you work smarter, not harder. From gaining an outside perspective to determining priorities and optimizing project management, we can help make Your Business. Better.
Check out our full spectrum of change management consulting, process improvement consulting and overall business consulting services to improve your company’s processes and performance today. Or, contact us to get started.