Keeping in Front of Change

Change. It’s a part of life. And it can take your life apart.

If we accept that Change will happen, and probably not in the way you were expecting, we would be better positioned to navigate that change.  I hope this post helps build that Acceptance Mindset.

Clarity – Be clear on what the change is, and how it can, might, will impact you.

1.What is the problem:

• at the world/global level? Where is it trending? What is the underlying cause?
• at the industry level? How is it impacting other industries? Where are there inter-connects?
• at the company level? How is the problem specific to 4. your company as compared to others? What caused this difference? What can be done about it?
• at the team level? How is your team’s response different than that of other teams? Why is that so? Who can do something about it?
• at the individual level? How can you manage yourself so that you can see clearly this and all of the above?

2. Be clear on the problem in detail, but also consider the following:

• What’s the data that proves your position?
• What data is relevant?
• How could you verify that data?
• What does that data mean?

Strategy – Once you’re clear on the change, you can begin strategizing on what to do about it, who is involved in solving that problem, how to make it happen, and what success looks like.

3. Enlist the right stakeholders to drive the strategy around managing the change. Start with *both* the executives in charge *and* the people at all levels who are critical for the project.

4. Working together, describe the problem you’re facing in detail, and its impact on others, the proposed solution with roles, responsibilities of participating stakeholders, timelines and milestones for tasks and projects; resources, information and funding necessary for success; and time-lined, quantifiable results.

5. Strategize on how to overcome objections and obstacles and how to build further ongoing engagement and collaboration.

Execution – Seamlessly, continuously, collaboratively drive execution and momentum.

6. Get ongoing buy-in from all internal and external stakeholders, as expressed by engagement, energy, commitment, results.

7. Proactively manage the egos. Plan for a collaborative, win-win, but expect that many will object to the change, and many may not be able to work with others to manage through the change.

8. Measure and communicate on progress to date.

9. Revisit the problem, strategy and execution.

Acceptance – Don’t fight it, roll with it. 

10. Change is inevitable. Change is personal. The trick is to make it *not* personal, even when it affects you so personally.

Park the emotional impact. Work on understanding the problem well, strategizing on how to manage everyone’s emotional and practical impact through that change, and executing on the plan.

You’re not alone. Helping others navigate through the changes will also help you stay ahead of change.

 

Advertisement