Four Part Process for Managing Change

Help your organization change by creating an environment where it can thrive.

Seventy percent of all change initiatives fail. Why? Lack of buy-in.

As a general rule, only 1 percent of people effect change; 9 percent watch it unfold; and 90 percent look around and wonder what happened.

With this in mind, it’s no wonder leaders suffer disappointment when the desired changes never materialize.

So, how do you persuade people to embrace change? Any successful change effort requires a delicate balance of content, processes, emotions and actions.

Consider this four-part process for cultivating an environment of trust and empowerment while implementing change:

• Set the stage. Prepare your organization by establishing the context for change. If you stimulate open-ended conversations early, the payoff likely will be good thinking and new insights from everyone.
• Frame the plan. Present the changes in a way that helps everyone interpret your ideas as you intended them. Explain in detail the purpose and anticipated impact of the change.

• Manage emotions. Change is intensely personal, and each individual responds differently. Management must strike the right balance of optimism and realism to help ease feelings of apprehension, frustration or confusion. Proactively anticipate and address concerns about the change.
• Reinforce desired behavior. Recognize and reward employees for their contributions, but don’t declare victory too soon.  Ensure congruence of messages and behavior by addressing inconsistencies as soon as they surface.