Seven Change Management Secrets to Creating a Winning Culture of Change
Seven Change Management Secrets to Creating a Winning Culture of Change
The organizations we work for are going through change to adapt to a very competitive marketplace. Most organizational change, much like your daily commute, is subtle. Some changes create a variety of emotions among employees: from joy and enthusiasm to distrust and anger.
The best organizations create a strong culture of change management. In fact, management at these organizations is constantly encouraging change for the good of the overall organization.
The following are seven change management secrets to creating a winning culture of change:
1. Understand the Present
Take the time to ask questions to understand where the culture of change presently stands. Examples of questions great managers of change are consistently asking to ensure the success of change are the following:
a. Do employees understand the difference they make at work everyday?
b. Are there strong relationships between employees and management?
c. Is there an environment of openness and trust?
d. Is there an understanding of mission, purpose, beliefs, and business goals?
e. Do we have an environment of learning, growth, and empowerment?
Take the time to ask these and other questions and, most importantly, listen to the answers.
2. Recognize That Change Management Culture Starts at the Top
As a leader, you set the tone for change management. If you express or show a negative attitude towards the change, the culture for change will have negative results. If your attitude towards change is positive, then the culture for change will have positive results. Constantly communicate the positive overall results from the change and how the employee will benefit from this change.
3. Establish Channels of Communication
Before the changes are to take place, implement ongoing channels of communication. This is important for the following reasons:
a. Hear and address the concerns and fears of the employees.
b. Obtain new innovative ways of implementing the change.
c. Gain employee buy-in for the changes.
d. Address the rumor mill before it spirals out of control.
Remember, there will probably be a lot of emotions mixed in with the communication. First, set the parameters for positive, productive communication and really take the time to listen. You will need to separate the emotions from the message and/or questions. Also, if you don’t have an immediate answer to the question, promise to find the answer and respond with the answer within a certain deadline.
4. Give Your Employees the Tools for Successful Change Management
Make sure your employees have the tools to successfully implement the organizational changes. This could include training, technology, and additional management help to remove barriers to successfully implementing the changes. Be mindful that with the changes there are new relationships being developed. As the change leader, monitor what work relationships are working and what relationships are not working; and take the appropriate actions to remove any relational barriers to your employees’ successful completion of the plan.
5. Build a Change Management Community
Build a sense that we are all in this together and that if one person on our team has a challenge adapting to change, we all have a challenge adapting to the change. Build this sense of a change team so that a positive environment for change and innovation is developed. It makes the road to change so much easier.
6. Understand That Employees Handle Change in Different Ways
Because of stress and emotions, your employees handle change in different ways. The model employee who was once calm may now become disruptive and challenging in the environment of change. Take time to tone into your employees’ “emotional change barometer,” get their feedback, and provide the guidance so that they are successful in the culture of change.
7. Follow-up to Create Better Change Results
As a change leader, follow-up through meetings, personal coachings, surveys, memos, e-mails, etc., to monitor how the changes are progressing. Embrace and acknowledge the employees’ valuable feedback so that you can efficiently implement the changes.
Apply these seven change management techniques and you will create a successful culture of change and achieve your organizational goals.
Seven Change Management Secrets to Creating a Winning Culture of Change - To learn more about this author, visit Ed Sykes's Website.
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Change is occurring all around us everyday. Most changes are small and go unnoticed by us. Think about your daily ride to work and notice what changes are taking place over the course of a week: possible changes in traffic patterns, new stores opening, weather patterns, etc. Each day we adapt to the changing situations without even thinking about it, and we achieve our goals.
The organizations we work for are going through change to adapt to a very competitive marketplace. Most organizational change, much like your daily commute, is subtle. Some changes create a variety of emotions among employees: from joy and enthusiasm to distrust and anger.
The best organizations create a strong culture of change management. In fact, management at these organizations is constantly encouraging change for the good of the overall organization.
The following are seven change management secrets to creating a winning culture of change:
1. Understand the Present
Take the time to ask questions to understand where the culture of change presently stands. Examples of questions great managers of change are consistently asking to ensure the success of change are the following:
a. Do employees understand the difference they make at work everyday?
b. Are there strong relationships between employees and management?
c. Is there an environment of openness and trust?
d. Is there an understanding of mission, purpose, beliefs, and business goals?
e. Do we have an environment of learning, growth, and empowerment?
Take the time to ask these and other questions and, most importantly, listen to the answers.
2. Recognize That Change Management Culture Starts at the Top
As a leader, you set the tone for change management. If you express or show a negative attitude towards the change, the culture for change will have negative results. If your attitude towards change is positive, then the culture for change will have positive results. Constantly communicate the positive overall results from the change and how the employee will benefit from this change.
3. Establish Channels of Communication
Before the changes are to take place, implement ongoing channels of communication. This is important for the following reasons:
a. Hear and address the concerns and fears of the employees.
b. Obtain new innovative ways of implementing the change.
c. Gain employee buy-in for the changes.
d. Address the rumor mill before it spirals out of control.
Remember, there will probably be a lot of emotions mixed in with the communication. First, set the parameters for positive, productive communication and really take the time to listen. You will need to separate the emotions from the message and/or questions. Also, if you don’t have an immediate answer to the question, promise to find the answer and respond with the answer within a certain deadline.
4. Give Your Employees the Tools for Successful Change Management
Make sure your employees have the tools to successfully implement the organizational changes. This could include training, technology, and additional management help to remove barriers to successfully implementing the changes. Be mindful that with the changes there are new relationships being developed. As the change leader, monitor what work relationships are working and what relationships are not working; and take the appropriate actions to remove any relational barriers to your employees’ successful completion of the plan.
5. Build a Change Management Community
Build a sense that we are all in this together and that if one person on our team has a challenge adapting to change, we all have a challenge adapting to the change. Build this sense of a change team so that a positive environment for change and innovation is developed. It makes the road to change so much easier.
6. Understand That Employees Handle Change in Different Ways
Because of stress and emotions, your employees handle change in different ways. The model employee who was once calm may now become disruptive and challenging in the environment of change. Take time to tone into your employees’ “emotional change barometer,” get their feedback, and provide the guidance so that they are successful in the culture of change.
7. Follow-up to Create Better Change Results
As a change leader, follow-up through meetings, personal coachings, surveys, memos, e-mails, etc., to monitor how the changes are progressing. Embrace and acknowledge the employees’ valuable feedback so that you can efficiently implement the changes.
Apply these seven change management techniques and you will create a successful culture of change and achieve your organizational goals.
Seven Change Management Secrets to Creating a Winning Culture of Change - To learn more about this author, visit Ed Sykes's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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