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Guest post by: Eric Douglas Become an Author

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There are three key principles to any change management model. Principle number one: Focus on the first five percent. To guarantee a successful outcome you must gather champions, set expectations, how extensively you engage stakeholders, and how well you paint a picture for people of the decision-making process. Let me emphasize the importance of engaging many people early on - especially those who will be affected by the decision and those whose expertise can help. Engaging early on, as opposed to shutting people out of the process, is always the best approach when ideological stances are strongly opposed. Read my article strategic change management for more on the first five percent.

Principle number two: Focus on defining the root problem. Solutions don't matter unless you define the problem correctly. We advocate a systems approach. Too often people say things like: "We need better products," or "we need more sales, or "staff isn't working hard enough," without looking at the reasons why. Often the answer is found by looking at a mirror - at what're doing and not doing. One systems approach is to identify the organizational core values - or that which is essential for its success. If you ground tough decisions in well-understood core values they will look easy.

Principle number three: Find a good guide. An experienced guide can set the tone, keep an open mind, identify key issues, articulate points of agreement, and keep things moving. Guides should be able to show case studies or examples of models that worked for other organizations. A good guide will also have the courage to overcome adversity and uncertainty, and it always helps to have a sense of humor. Good, experienced guides are hard to find. But they are absolutely essential to our change management model.

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