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.