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Essential Steps to Making Successful Change

Guest post by: Robert Whipple

Article Overview: Since change is actually a process, it is important to break down the process into logical steps. This article considers several of the more important steps to successful change.

Essential Steps to Making Successful Change

High Trust

Having an environment of high trust is essential during change processes because it allows everyone to contribute without fear. If people know they can voice their grief or anger without retribution, they will be more willing to enroll in the change effort. High trust also allows leaders to tap into the diversity of ideas that are present in any group since everyone feels open. That adds to the quality and creativity of problem solutions and higher buy-in among all people. They own the change.

Tolerance for Risk

Another condition for successful change is tolerance for risk. No progress is made without some risk of failure. If people believe they will be crucified for doing something, they will be reluctant to take the bold steps needed. The leader must keep an eye on the big picture. There are bound to be setbacks along the way. Plan on them and don't come unglued when they show up.

Assess the risks and take preventive measures to mitigate potential problems. In some cases, a formal backup plan might be wise if there is a particularly risky new procedure. For example, when cutting over to a new parts supplier, keep the old supplier active until all potential problems are resolved. Otherwise, you could lose the whole business while trying to make things better.

Avoid Pitfalls

Improvement initiatives must be undertaken for a specific purpose. Too often there is a "shotgun" approach where someone comes in with a slick package and sells it to management. This becomes the current program, whether it matches the needs perfectly or not. It sounds like something good to do, so management invests time, energy, and money in the program.

Contrast that with the approach now possible because your organization has a solid framework. The gaps become evident as you compare where you are with the vision. Now you can identify a few things most helpful at filling these gaps. These are the linchpins that couple the present reality to the ideal future. Because these are critically needed now, they have a powerful pull throughout the organization.

Getting Everyone Enrolled

People at all levels must be enrolled and support the change initiative. One weak link in the chain can create fatal problems. The danger here is not the people who fully oppose the change and say so. These people can be converted, or their message of opposition may be right. Listen well and debate accordingly. The real danger is the snake-in-the-grass who fully agrees with the initiative outwardly, but does subtle and untraceable things to undermine the process. Leaders need a sixth sense to sniff out people with double agendas and deal with them forthrightly.

A Burning Platform

Many people need a little push to make the leap to a new and uncomfortable place. For most it is like standing on a diving board looking into the icy water, wondering if they really wanted a swim after all. The well-known "boiled frog" analogy is the best way to describe it.

If you put a frog in a pan of boiling water, it will immediately jump out and, despite some singed feet, will live to croak again. However, if you put a frog in a pan of cool water and slowly add heat, the frog will boil to death because it does not sense the danger until it is too late. Great leaders know this and provide hot water early enough. They find a way to jolt people out of their comfort zone and keep the pressure on until everyone accepts the need for change.

If people understand the gaps between the current state and the vision, they will instinctively generate ideas to close them. As the teams become process owners, real change throughout the organization begins to accelerate.

A Compelling Vision of the Future

If people can't see a better world at the end of the journey, don't expect them to be wild about the process. That's why it is critical to have people at all levels support the vision. Leaders become the artists who carefully paint the picture of a better future on the canvas of today's paradigm. That takes creativity, sincerity and repetition.

Integration of the New Methods into the Existing Culture

Often an embryonic change activity is smashed on the rocks of the old paradigm because it doesn't fit and is rejected by the people. Once you have invented a new policy or procedure, document the change in a user-friendly way and make sure everyone knows that, from now on, this is the way we do things. All new employees need to see how procedures fit into the culture. People need to see the context and how it relates to the vision.

It helps if the change process is a phased project. People know they are in Phase 1 and that the Phase 2 part will be coming next month. They understand context and end goal. New ideas will come up all the time in an environment of trust. If these are integrated so people see how they fit with the current culture, you will not lose momentum. Because the new culture is rooted in the vision and values, it is congruent and has staying power.

Reinforcement of Small Wins along the Way

The journey to the Vision is long and arduous. People cannot maintain the pace without encouragement along the way. A reinforcing culture keeps the energy high enough to persevere during discouraging times.

In times of significant change, continual reinforcement becomes the glue that holds the entire effort together through the process.

Constancy of Purpose over Time

Because change initiatives require so much energy, it is a mistake to roll out new ones too often. People need to get out of the transition and into a sustaining mode to recover their wits before starting a new program. Too often, a new initiative is begun months before the last one is completed. People become disillusioned as they integrate the current project and don't know if last month's rules are suspended or still in effect.

Constancy of purpose is different from constancy of action. You can keep your purpose, but be forced to change how you achieve it. Many companies found themselves having to do this in the wake of 9/11. Purpose and vision enable organizations to flow better with challenges.

The leader helps people understand there will be a series of changes to reach the vision. It's like a massive chess game that goes on over a period of time. People should not expect one single event or initiative to do it all. In the movie, "What About Bob," the psychiatrist played by Richard Dreyfuss prescribed that Bob achieve his vision through a series of "baby steps." That's a great analogy for businesses as well. Hundreds of small, relatively safe steps with lots of encouragement in between are more effective than one huge and risky leap.

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Article Tags: change, leadership, Process, steps, trust



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