Eliminating the Headaches when Implementing Change

By Bruce Craig

Businesses, small and large are being overrun with change. Covid19 is driving major changes in how business operates. New business models, remote working, social distancing, as well as critical ongoing technology, organizational and operational changes are happening all at once.

Talking to owners and managers, the biggest headaches they face when implementing change is being able to move quickly and see the benefits of their changes. The problem is gaining the buy-in and support of the people being impacted. What difference would it make to the speed and ease of change implementation if people were on-board early and actively supported the change.

Unfortunately that does not usually happen. People typically react to change with varying degrees of questions, concerns and doubts about the direction or the impact on their jobs and future. Some of these concerns are minor with others being more difficult. Resistance to change can frustrate and delay the ability of people to adjust and adopt changes.

Change management methods and tools can help leaders to proactively engage and work through employee concerns and issues. Having a plan to identify how people are reacting and what issues, concerns and objections they have needs to start immediately when change is first announced.

Simply announcing the “what and why” you are changing and requiring that people get “on-board” is no longer enough. Much more can be done by leaders to understand and resolve staff issues before they become larger and more costly.

Our experience training and coaching leaders has resulted in the development of a core set of change strategies, tips and tools that we have packed into our virtual training program “Overcoming Resistance to Change”. Give us a call if you’d like to learn more.