7 Tips to Stay on Top of Change

Change is a constant. People, departments, and teams respond to change differently. The same change implemented in different areas can produce distinctly different outcomes. Helping everyone in the workplace to be and stay engaged during a change will increase the probability of an end result that is positive. These tips show you how to stay on top of the change engagement process by thoroughly preparing for it, while allowing for various outcomes. These tips allow you to take a structured approach to organizational change and still maintain flexibility.

1. Motivation for Change
There are internal such as well as external reasons for change. Internal reasons could include upgraded technology, expansions and growth, or continuous improvement. External reasons could include reorganizations, management changes, relocations, or acquisitions/mergers. Recognizing the motivation for change can help everyone start the process together.

2. Analyze the Situation
As the change moves forward, leadership takes the time to analyze the risks and opportunities associated with the proposed change. This will include the following questions:

• What are the potential gains in undertaking the change?
• What are the costs?
• What are the risks of making the change?
• What are the risks of not making the change?

3. Plan the Direction
Once the analysis is complete and the decision to move forward has been made organization develops a plan for change implementation. This is a critical step and many organizational change initiatives fail because of lack of careful, thorough planning. In this step, the stage is set for the ultimate success of the change. Key elements of the plan must include:

• Planning for the impact of the change on individuals who will be most affected.
• Planning for the impact of the change on the systems within the organization that will be most affected.
• A step-by-step plan for integrating the change into the organization.
• A review plan to measure the success of the proposed change.

4. Implement the Change
Depending on the type and scope of the change, implementation within the organization may be gradual or abrupt. Changes such as layoffs or acquisitions often are implemented with little prior warning; while staffing, reorganization, or technology changes may be phased in over a period of time. The team's most critical role in this step of the change process is to maintain open, honest lines of communication with each other. Consider the following:

• Define individual responsibilities.
• Announce and launch the change.
• Adhere to timetables.
• Promote the anticipated benefits of the change.

5. Review the Direction
Once the change has been implemented in the organization, the outcomes of the new structure and system need to be monitored. Change evolves. This means that the change may not develop exactly as planned or that every individual affected by the change will react as anticipated. Everyone can observe review checkpoints to see whether the change is working as anticipated and is producing the desired results. To help everyone participate in the review establish and communicate the following:

• Establish ways of measuring results.
• Communicate criteria for successful change outcomes.
• Coordinate the gathering and measuring of change effects.
• Inform key team members consistently during the review process.

6. Adopt
When you have reviewed the change implementation and found it to be succeeding as planned, the organization adopts the change and it becomes part of the new organizational norm. The review process transitions to the ongoing monitoring of the changed systems and relationships within the organization. Some questions in continue to ask include:

• How well is the change meeting planned outcomes?
• How well have you adjusted to the new status quo?
• What aspects of the change have not met expectations?
• What is your role in making those aspects more successful?

7. Adjust
If the review process concluded that the change is not working as planned, you should adjust the change implementation. Assuming that the organization executed the change analysis and plan accurately, you should be able to adjust the implementation of the organizational change to achieve your desired results.

• Determine where the outcomes are falling short of your plan.
• Engage key individuals in determining adjustments that need to be made.
• Keep the lines of communication open with everyone involved.
• Make adjustments to the review process and to the change implementation.

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The Turkey Bowl - Life Lessons, Hiring the Right Talent

A life lesson about success from a family tradition is included in this 2 minute read.

Family traditions are all about creating oneness and connections with family and memories that last a life time. One tradition in our family is the annual Turkey Bowl Thanksgiving morning. Ten am is kick-off at Plum Bottom (the name given to our family farm by our Native American neighbors 200 years ago). Everyone is welcome, family, visiting friends, men and women. My brother Dave lines the field 60 yards by 30 yards.

The rules are simple:
- 7 players on a team (quarterback, three linemen, three eligible receivers)
- 3 one thousand rush count
- 30 minute rolling time per half
- 6 points for a touchdown
- one point for the extra point
- no kicks

As you can imagine it eventually boils down to a guy thing; your team winning and the team captain displaying the turkey trophy on their living room mantel (the year I won my wife put it in a box in the basement). It’s a great conversation starter with guests.

The team captains have two important tasks:
1. Picking the teams
2. Selecting the most outstanding player at the end of the game.

By dinner time, all over the hill, the participants older than 28 are really hurting and can barely walk. Of course, at dinner in the various homes mental highlights are replayed with the ball thrown farther, guys running faster, and jumping higher than anyone could believe. Like many holiday traditions this is all in fun and forgotten until the next year.

This year. . . . could be different. A ringer is coming to dinner from California, Jeremiah my son-in-law to be. Somehow we need to get him on our team. He is fast, unknown and will give his team a real advantage. The key, my team captain has to pick him. The strategy has already begun. . . . . smile

The point, the team captain who picks the best players wins every year. This is something we have known since kindergarten and it is as true today as back then, whether you are winning the family Turkey Bowl or hiring your management or sales team.

Do you want to win? Then determine to pick or to recruit the right talent. Yes, I know, we can coach people and see improvement. To win our Superbowl in life and in business we need to pick the right players who have the talent and skills to help us win today.

What will you do today pick and recruit the right people?

Selling -- The Fundamentals!

Every summer for years, our family vacationed in the small fishing village of Noank, Connecticut where my wife’s parents still live. On one visit I learned a lot about the community’s leading youth sales professionals.

Early one afternoon I visited the town park in the middle of Noank with my three youngest children: my son Sam, and his twin sisters Jillian and Kaitrin. Each of them sat in a swing. I pushed each in turn.

Behind the swing set, a black wrought iron fence enclosed the park. On the other side was the sidewalk and Main Street. On this hot summer afternoon two young entrepreneurs sat on the sidewalk selling lemonade. As I pushed my kids in the swings, I listened into the sales’ conversation.

I heard the oldest boy Mike (he looked about ten-years-old) say, “Let’s just go home. No one is buying. This is a complete waste of time.”

The younger boy, Tim (who looked about eight) said, “Yeah. We can drink the lemonade ourselves.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” replied Mike. “We paid for the fresh lemons. Let’s just put the lemonade in the refrigerator and try again tomorrow.”

As I listened I thought about how often sales people talk themselves out of doing business. We wait for the phone to ring and hope that somehow, without too much effort, business will find us. Just like my two soon-to-be-clients sat, hoping cars would stop and people would enthusiastically jump out, with smiles on their faces to purchase glasses of lemonade.

With a smile I asked across the fence, “So boys, how are your lemonade sales going today?”

Tim jumped up and moved toward me, “Not so well. It must be too hot.”

Mike nodded his head in agreement.

“Good news, guys,” I said. “I am a highly paid sales consultant and if you are interested I can help you sell out in 30 minutes guaranteed.”

Tim’s eyes lit up but Mike looked skeptical.

“Here is the deal,” I said. “My fee will be three small glasses of lemonade for my kids. I ask you a few questions and then you must promise to do exactly what I tell you to do. Deal?”

They agreed.

“Ok, first question. Why are you selling on this side of the street? You see cars stop on the other side of the street at the stop sign.”

Mike looked at me as if I was from another planet and I feared I was to be fired before I even got started. “Mister,” he said, “In case you hadn’t noticed the only shade tree on the street is right here.”

Like many sales people he prioritized pleasing methods over pleasing results. People, old and young, look for the easy way to sell. I could not help wonder how many of my sales people were sitting under their shade trees instead of taking initiatives and make things happen.

I convinced the boys to move to the other side of the street. The next step I told them was that when people stop at the stop sign you need to have a powerful message to get them to buy.

“Can you give me a fact about your lemonade?”

“It’s the best lemonade in Noank!” Mike shouted.

“That’s a claim. Give me a fact.”

Tim jumped in and hit the nail on the head. “It's fresh hand squeezed lemonade!”

“Now we’re talking! Now connect the fact to a need.”

“The ice-cold, hand-squeezed fresh lemonade will quench your thirst.”

“Good. Now all we need is to entice customers is a deal.”

Both boys quickly agreed that they would sell one glass for $1.25 or two glasses for $2.00.

With enthusiasm the young boys picked up their lemonade stand, walked across the street and started shouting to every car that stopped, “Ice-cold, fresh, hand-squeezed lemonade that will quench your thirst how many glasses do you want…

Of course, I made the small correction, “Say ‘do you want one or two glasses?’” They both smiled and within minutes they had created traffic jam on Main Street Noank.

I still laugh years later thinking about how excited the boys were when they sold out of their lemonade. They thanked me and gave me the remaining lemonade--a third of my fee (one glass) and ran home. Note to self - get your fee at the front end.

From selling lemonade to high tech computers to big and small equipment to Real Estate, to consulting projects the fundamentals never change:

• Do the right activity, in the right place.
• Communicate the benefit of your product, good or service.
• Tell how it will meet your customer’s need with enthusiasm and turn your frustration into real business results.