How To Implement Change
How to stop projects falling through with effective change management.
Managers and team leaders often struggle to integrate initiatives and projects through an organisation. Resistance shows itself within their teams, whilst they attempt to pursue a promotion of change and improvement.
Getting foundational workers to adopt new ways of working and philosophies is difficult. Especially, when things have been done the same way for a lengthy period of time and when the workforce is large in size.
The problem is, evolving as an organisation is not a choice, it’s a must. Businesses that don’t grow, eventually die. As a leader, you need to spearhead an environment and culture of fluidity. An environment that can implement new projects and ways of working with heightened effectiveness.
The trick to get initiatives integrated in the working culture is to adopt good change management strategies. This is exactly why you need to understand and practice good change management skills.
These techniques include:
Clear Instructions: Provide all personnel regardless of skill set, an easy to interpret guide on how to incorporate the new ways of working. Include ‘an idiots guide’ of instructions which anyone can follow.
Easy Wins: Start with small, achievable processes to build the foundation for change. Quick wins will provide fast results, building early levels of confidence within the project. With this you can begin to develop the project into a larger-scaled operation. Piloting a new project keeps the implementation manageable whilst allowing you to make early adaptation with measured results.
Facility Your Team: Enable them by providing sufficient resources, whether it be time, equipment or tools. Make sure the groundwork are prepared before you expect change to happen. Make sure you prepare them for the change, keeping personnel involved in the process before the project is rolled out.
Clear KPI’s: Give your team clear KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) so they know exactly how to measure their success. This will allow you as the project manager to establish the metrics for the project's effectiveness and how to track individual performance.
Repercussions: Something overlooked and sometimes even avoided. But if new procedures are not being followed and neglected without a valid reason. A gradual escalation of repercussions should be authorised. This will enforce accountability throughout the business.
Empower The People: As mentioned previously, get operators involved with the planning and improvements of the project. Listen to their opinions, especially from the members carrying out the processes, as they begin to build an understanding of its effectiveness. By giving your team power in the project implementation and evolution phase, they will be more likely to feel part of the mission, resulting in them being more likely to follow the initiative.
Provide A Clear Vision: Finally, tell your team why the project is happening. Let them understand how it will improve the company and its benefits for them. E.g. How it makes their day-to-day operations easier and more effective. Give them an incentive that by following this project, us as a company, will be a step closer to striving towards greater success.
Your effectiveness at managing change is an essential metric that will define your success as a leader. Those who do it well, will cultivate a collaborative and thriving team environment. Those that don’t will foster a stagnant, slow morale and ineffective group of individuals.
Next time you are providing your team with a project. Try to adopt these change management techniques. Depending on the project, some techniques may require more emphasis than others but overall, they all need to be incorporated to sustain an initiative within an organisation.
Liam Adcock • January 13, 2025
Managers and team leaders often struggle to integrate initiatives and projects through an organisation. Resistance shows itself within their teams, whilst they attempt to pursue a promotion of change and improvement.
Getting foundational workers to adopt new ways of working and philosophies is difficult. Especially, when things have been done the same way for a lengthy period of time and when the workforce is large in size.
The problem is, evolving as an organisation is not a choice, it’s a must. Businesses that don’t grow, eventually die. As a leader, you need to spearhead an environment and culture of fluidity. An environment that can implement new projects and ways of working with heightened effectiveness.
The trick to get initiatives integrated in the working culture is to adopt good change management strategies. This is exactly why you need to understand and practice good change management skills.
These techniques include:
Clear Instructions: Provide all personnel regardless of skill set, an easy to interpret guide on how to incorporate the new ways of working. Include ‘an idiots guide’ of instructions which anyone can follow.
Easy Wins: Start with small, achievable processes to build the foundation for change. Quick wins will provide fast results, building early levels of confidence within the project. With this you can begin to develop the project into a larger-scaled operation. Piloting a new project keeps the implementation manageable whilst allowing you to make early adaptation with measured results.
Facility Your Team: Enable them by providing sufficient resources, whether it be time, equipment or tools. Make sure the groundwork are prepared before you expect change to happen. Make sure you prepare them for the change, keeping personnel involved in the process before the project is rolled out.
Clear KPI’s: Give your team clear KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) so they know exactly how to measure their success. This will allow you as the project manager to establish the metrics for the project's effectiveness and how to track individual performance.
Repercussions: Something overlooked and sometimes even avoided. But if new procedures are not being followed and neglected without a valid reason. A gradual escalation of repercussions should be authorised. This will enforce accountability throughout the business.
Empower The People: As mentioned previously, get operators involved with the planning and improvements of the project. Listen to their opinions, especially from the members carrying out the processes, as they begin to build an understanding of its effectiveness. By giving your team power in the project implementation and evolution phase, they will be more likely to feel part of the mission, resulting in them being more likely to follow the initiative.
Provide A Clear Vision: Finally, tell your team why the project is happening. Let them understand how it will improve the company and its benefits for them. E.g. How it makes their day-to-day operations easier and more effective. Give them an incentive that by following this project, us as a company, will be a step closer to striving towards greater success.
Your effectiveness at managing change is an essential metric that will define your success as a leader. Those who do it well, will cultivate a collaborative and thriving team environment. Those that don’t will foster a stagnant, slow morale and ineffective group of individuals.
Next time you are providing your team with a project. Try to adopt these change management techniques. Depending on the project, some techniques may require more emphasis than others but overall, they all need to be incorporated to sustain an initiative within an organisation.
Liam Adcock • January 13, 2025