101: Change resisters
The economy and technology are constantly evolving. You can't expect to succeed without change. Organizational change, whether adding a new division, software or personnel, means everyone has to adjust. But the outlook for successful business change is not good. Up to 75 percent of change efforts fail, according to research cited in the Harvard Business Review by Sally Blount and Shana Carroll. Here are some ways you can buck the trend.
Resonate with the right team members, those who have the most influence in helping your company make a peaceful transition. Seek them out and communicate effectively with these folks multiple times, write Blount and Carroll. Understand respect is a huge part of reaching a point of understanding with these key stakeholders. “Motivating true change requires unhurried, face-to-face, one-on-one conversation. Email doesn't do it,” the article states. You need to talk with them more than once, listen intently, and be open to change yourself. “If necessary, modify your plans. Show that resisters' opinions and feelings matter to you,” they write.
Know change can't occur in a toxic workplace. If your company is plagued by a climate of mistrust, organizational politics, or the timing or delivery of the news is bad, there is bound to be pushback with little to do with the validity of the idea. “You'll need to spend some time rebuilding trust if you want better results,” writes Robert Tanner at ManagementIsAJourney.com. “People don't resist change that they think is in their best interest.”
Market the change to each group in your company, writes Bradley James Bryant at SmallBusiness.Chron.com. After the main goal is made clear, explain how it affects that particular division. “Explain the new plan in terms … that help each group understand how the new strategy will make their own jobs better or easier,” he writes.
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