Change Management

I quoted Mahatma Gandhi in a post last year about Change. He said that "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."  How does a manager facilitate change - well they need to engage and enable their staff. Change must be managed through a structured approach. This approach must identify where you are and where you intend to go and provide for the transition from one place to another. What are the key steps?

Make sure that all employees are aware that change is going to occur. Involve all staff and communicate why the change is needed and what will happen if nothing is done. It is important for people to recognise that they are part of the change process and their input is key to a smooth transition – negativity will set in if people feel that change is imposed.

Implement a management and resource base to support the journey. This resource base can include but is not limited to workshops, team sessions, training and communication channels including feedback.

Maintain trust at all levels of the organisation through the change process. Maintain effective communication which is not just one way but an interconnecting network throughout the organisation.

Identify the destination using clear goals and objectives. However it is also important for mid-point goals and objectives to be set so that individuals can recognise when they have accomplished individual tasks and key stages in the process. Make sure that people can measure progress.

Be empathic - understanding the impact of the journey on others and how their reactions can limit the success of the project.

Verify that the changes that have been implemented are effective as you go along.