The Personal Side of Change
Many times, there are underlying reasons why someone in an organization resists change. I had an interesting situation a few years back that illustrates why it's important to remember how a change will affect your staff not only professionally, but personally as well.
A company I was working with wanted to computerize its bookkeeping system. The woman in charge of the department had worked there for many years and was viewed as the expert for anything associated with bookkeeping. This woman was used to keeping the books the old-fashioned way, on paper, and saw no need to change. Management felt that computerizing the bookkeeping system was more time- and cost-efficient, but she didn't see it that way.
As we dove deeper into the issue, what we realized was that she felt threatened by the change. She had always been the company expert on bookkeeping issues and since she wasn't comfortable with computers, she would feel out of control if the bookkeeping was computerized. So, to make her feel better and get her onboard with the change, she was the first person trained on the new system. That way, she would continue to be viewed as the company expert, which was important to her, and she would support the change, which was important to the company.
To discuss, contact me at SolidOakConsulting.com or 708-524-0886.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Time for a Change?
Change is a constant in business. Whether it's as simple as switching the type of pens your company uses to something as complex as changing your management structure, a change can have a profound effect - and not always a good one - on your business. Therefore, any change you make, whether or big small, should be done with careful thought and strategy.
There are two types of changes you will likely encounter in business: projects and processes. A project is something that has a beginning, middle and end. For instance, your office is getting painted, and the painters will start on Monday and finish on Friday. A process, on the other hand, is something new that will continue on an ongoing basis. For instance, your office is changing to a new software program. The effects of this change will be ongoing and therefore, it is a process.
Many times, though, businesses view their change in process as more of a project. So, using the new software program as an example, they might view the new software as a project that ends when the staff members are trained. But what if there are problems with the software? What if there are upgrades? What if no one is even using the new software? By not treating the implementation as a process, the company may just go back to the system it was using before. What a waste of time and money!
Here are a few pointers to keep in mind when you are about to implement any type of change in your organization.
Include the change in your budget. This shows a commitment to the change and helps you plan for the costs associated with it.
Assign resources. Consider, upfront, everything that will be needed to implement your change. Will your staff have to work overtime? Will you need any new equipment?
Designate a sponsor. Every change should have a sponsor, or a person who is able and willing to be responsible and accountable for the change.
Designate a change agent. A change agent oversees the work of the sponsor. He or she is not given responsibility, but the authority to hold the sponsor accountable.
Remember your stakeholders. Analyze who will be affected by the change. Is it a change that will only affect your staff or will it affect your clients too? Or will the change extend even further and affect the community?
Cater to the influencer. What person or people won't like the change you are about to implement? Try to win them over first before they sabotage your efforts.
Sometimes an outside perspective can help make the whole process of change go smoother. If I can be of assistance to you as you consider whether to implement a change, please feel free to Contact Me, Tom Long at SolidOakConsulting.com or 708-524-0886.
Change is a constant in business. Whether it's as simple as switching the type of pens your company uses to something as complex as changing your management structure, a change can have a profound effect - and not always a good one - on your business. Therefore, any change you make, whether or big small, should be done with careful thought and strategy.
There are two types of changes you will likely encounter in business: projects and processes. A project is something that has a beginning, middle and end. For instance, your office is getting painted, and the painters will start on Monday and finish on Friday. A process, on the other hand, is something new that will continue on an ongoing basis. For instance, your office is changing to a new software program. The effects of this change will be ongoing and therefore, it is a process.
Many times, though, businesses view their change in process as more of a project. So, using the new software program as an example, they might view the new software as a project that ends when the staff members are trained. But what if there are problems with the software? What if there are upgrades? What if no one is even using the new software? By not treating the implementation as a process, the company may just go back to the system it was using before. What a waste of time and money!
Here are a few pointers to keep in mind when you are about to implement any type of change in your organization.
Include the change in your budget. This shows a commitment to the change and helps you plan for the costs associated with it.
Assign resources. Consider, upfront, everything that will be needed to implement your change. Will your staff have to work overtime? Will you need any new equipment?
Designate a sponsor. Every change should have a sponsor, or a person who is able and willing to be responsible and accountable for the change.
Designate a change agent. A change agent oversees the work of the sponsor. He or she is not given responsibility, but the authority to hold the sponsor accountable.
Remember your stakeholders. Analyze who will be affected by the change. Is it a change that will only affect your staff or will it affect your clients too? Or will the change extend even further and affect the community?
Cater to the influencer. What person or people won't like the change you are about to implement? Try to win them over first before they sabotage your efforts.
Sometimes an outside perspective can help make the whole process of change go smoother. If I can be of assistance to you as you consider whether to implement a change, please feel free to Contact Me, Tom Long at SolidOakConsulting.com or 708-524-0886.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Classifying Change
Classifying Change
Previously I wrote about the basics of change. This time, I'd like to go a little deeper and introduce you to the types of changes that your organization may encounter. There are three types of change:
A developmental change is one that improves a company's processes, methods or standards. A developmental change causes little stress to employees when compared to the other changes, as long as the reason for the change is clearly conveyed to them first.
A transitional change is more intrusive than developmental change and usually involves introducing something that is completely new. A corporate reorganization, merger or acquisition, creation of new products or services, and implementation of new technology are examples of transitional change.
A transformational change is when a company drastically has to transform itself. A company that is forced to embrace new technology, has unexpected competition or experienced a drop in revenue often has to make a transformational change.
It's important to classify what type of change you are undergoing because it will help you determine how to deal with that change. A trusted business advisor who is experienced at managing organizational change can be critical to your success. For more information about change management, contact Tom Long at SolidOakConsulting.com or 708-524-0886.
Previously I wrote about the basics of change. This time, I'd like to go a little deeper and introduce you to the types of changes that your organization may encounter. There are three types of change:
A developmental change is one that improves a company's processes, methods or standards. A developmental change causes little stress to employees when compared to the other changes, as long as the reason for the change is clearly conveyed to them first.
A transitional change is more intrusive than developmental change and usually involves introducing something that is completely new. A corporate reorganization, merger or acquisition, creation of new products or services, and implementation of new technology are examples of transitional change.
A transformational change is when a company drastically has to transform itself. A company that is forced to embrace new technology, has unexpected competition or experienced a drop in revenue often has to make a transformational change.
It's important to classify what type of change you are undergoing because it will help you determine how to deal with that change. A trusted business advisor who is experienced at managing organizational change can be critical to your success. For more information about change management, contact Tom Long at SolidOakConsulting.com or 708-524-0886.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Web Design: Keep it Simple, Easy on the Eyes and Fresh
Web Design: Keep it Simple, Easy on the Eyes and Fresh
In order to compete in business these days, you need to keep a web presence. Is yours more appealing than your competition's? Does it sell you and your message? Here are three simple ways to increase your web appeal.
Keep it Simple.
Put yourself in your customers' shoes. When they reach your website, you want them to be able to purchase a product or find the information they need - quickly. They don't want to sift through irrelevant information to find what they need. Customers in a hurry won't waste time clicking from page to page to navigate your site. Make their visit pleasurable, and give them a reason to come back again and again.
Keep it Easy on the Eyes.
Most businesses should avoid dark and busy backgrounds that distract from content and make the text difficult to read. A dark or black background for a photography site makes for a dramatic effect - but it is easier to view and read dark text against a lighter background. Font choice has been fairly limited for website design, and that may not necessarily be a bad thing. Arial and Verdana fonts are two of the most popular and easy to read.
Keep it Fresh.
If you have a website and rarely update it or look at it, you might as well have no website at all. Many small businesses may be able to get away with updating on a quarterly or monthly basis. But if you are trying to make your site a "must visit," or your company provides weekly or daily communications, you must make updates a priority. To keep your customers coming back, you can post promotions on line, create a carefully worded professional blog, or feature an accessible, downloadable quarterly or monthly newsletter in PDF format.
The bottom line is, always put yourself in your customers' shoes. Once you've got a clean, effective site, keep it updated by adding new content or updates and moving - or removing - older material. To drive customers to your site, promote your website in every piece of printed material you hand out!
To discuss, contact me at SolidOakConsulting.com or 708-524-0886.
In order to compete in business these days, you need to keep a web presence. Is yours more appealing than your competition's? Does it sell you and your message? Here are three simple ways to increase your web appeal.
Keep it Simple.
Put yourself in your customers' shoes. When they reach your website, you want them to be able to purchase a product or find the information they need - quickly. They don't want to sift through irrelevant information to find what they need. Customers in a hurry won't waste time clicking from page to page to navigate your site. Make their visit pleasurable, and give them a reason to come back again and again.
Keep it Easy on the Eyes.
Most businesses should avoid dark and busy backgrounds that distract from content and make the text difficult to read. A dark or black background for a photography site makes for a dramatic effect - but it is easier to view and read dark text against a lighter background. Font choice has been fairly limited for website design, and that may not necessarily be a bad thing. Arial and Verdana fonts are two of the most popular and easy to read.
Keep it Fresh.
If you have a website and rarely update it or look at it, you might as well have no website at all. Many small businesses may be able to get away with updating on a quarterly or monthly basis. But if you are trying to make your site a "must visit," or your company provides weekly or daily communications, you must make updates a priority. To keep your customers coming back, you can post promotions on line, create a carefully worded professional blog, or feature an accessible, downloadable quarterly or monthly newsletter in PDF format.
The bottom line is, always put yourself in your customers' shoes. Once you've got a clean, effective site, keep it updated by adding new content or updates and moving - or removing - older material. To drive customers to your site, promote your website in every piece of printed material you hand out!
To discuss, contact me at SolidOakConsulting.com or 708-524-0886.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Is Your Marketing Profitable?
Is Your Marketing Profitable?
The primary measuring stick for success in Guerrilla Marketing is profit. Is this the way you view your marketing efforts?
When Guerrilla Marketing was first published in 1983, Jay Conrad Levinson was considered a pioneer with his innovative, take-no-prisoners approach to marketing for the small- and medium-size business owner. Nearly 25 years and half a million copies later, Guerrilla Marketing is now considered the bible of marketing and entrepreneurial advice.
For one-on-one help in applying Guerrilla Marketing to your business, please Contact me, Tom Long at SolidOakConsulting.com or 708-524-0886.
The primary measuring stick for success in Guerrilla Marketing is profit. Is this the way you view your marketing efforts?
When Guerrilla Marketing was first published in 1983, Jay Conrad Levinson was considered a pioneer with his innovative, take-no-prisoners approach to marketing for the small- and medium-size business owner. Nearly 25 years and half a million copies later, Guerrilla Marketing is now considered the bible of marketing and entrepreneurial advice.
For one-on-one help in applying Guerrilla Marketing to your business, please Contact me, Tom Long at SolidOakConsulting.com or 708-524-0886.
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