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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