7 tips for successful change management

How do you evaluate the effectiveness of your organization in managing change?

The opportunity is that there is room for improvement. Of the 655 leaders we surveyed, only 46% said their organization was successful in change management. About one-third of respondents also pointed out that their company has a poor track record in managing change.

We want to understand the conditions needed to succeed in this area and what makes a good company unique. Here are the seven best practices we have found.

1. Clear purpose and goals

Before leaders can make employees accept change, leaders themselves must have a clear understanding of what they need to achieve, why they need it, and how to measure success.

2. Make leaders at all levels an effective change manager

The effectiveness of top leadership is a decisive feature of the highest performing organizations we survey, but for some senior leaders, having the ability to manage change well is not enough.

Leaders at all levels, especially those responsible for performing most of the specific tasks related to change, must be able to prepare their teams to guide them in the right direction when encountering obstacles. They must have qualities that are critical to the execution of the strategy, including:

- Action Orientation - Ability to take quick, practical actions to correct certain things.
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  - Solve problems - Find the cause and solution of complex problems.
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  - Decisions - Ability to measure the pros and cons of the situation and take the best possible action.
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  - Results Orientation - Understand the most important outcomes of the strategy and focus on achieving these results
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  - Leading cross-functional teams - the ability to influence others when they do not have established authority.

3. Allocate enough resources

We often see new initiatives fail because no one wants to make sure they have enough money and staff to work hard to make sure they thrive. Leaders move resources away from existing plans, so they only need to add new plans. There are so many other plans to compete for employees' time and attention must be given - usually, it is a new initiative.

4. Communicate a clear and engaging vision

Imagine that you and your leader are in the campaign and that your employees are qualified and they have not yet decided on their support. What is the great, inspiring story that motivates them to support your position? What's in them? The best leaders can simply explain this in a way that evokes emotions.

5. Stay motivated and passionate

Employees may initially agree with your vision, but they may feel frustrated or disappointed in the process, especially if they don't make immediate progress. Find ways to keep the conversation through brief City Hall information sessions, surveys and casual conversations. Always ask their honest feedback and be willing to listen. Be honest about what you don't know and promise to update your staff when finalizing these details.

6. Forecast and resolve obstacles to implementation

The problem is inevitable, but the best leaders have the ability to anticipate potential problems and take proactive steps to prevent them. In the planning phase, give the team time to discuss the problem and find as many problems as possible. Then, outline the preventive measures and contingency plans.

7. Adjust the performance management system

Once you have implemented a new plan, make sure you have the appropriate method to clarify expectations, strengthen new behaviors, and evaluate employees based on new goals. Otherwise they have no incentive to achieve these goals. Regular and annual performance reviews and quarterly goals need to reflect changes made by your organization.

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