Your company is undergoing a major pivot. How can you help ensure its success?

1 Understand the why

Before you can support your company's pivot, you need to understand the rationale, the objectives, and the expected outcomes of the change. Ask questions, seek clarifications, and do your research to get a clear picture of why the pivot is necessary, what it entails, and how it will benefit the company and its stakeholders. This will help you align your actions, attitudes, and expectations with the pivot vision and strategy.

2 Communicate the what and how

Once you understand the why, you need to communicate the what and how to your team, your peers, and your customers. Explain what the pivot means for them, how it will affect their roles, responsibilities, and relationships, and how they can adapt and contribute to the change. Use clear, consistent, and transparent messages that address their concerns, acknowledge their emotions, and inspire their engagement. Provide regular updates, feedback, and support to keep them informed, involved, and motivated.

3 Embrace the learning

Pivoting is a learning process that involves experimentation, iteration, and feedback. You need to embrace the learning mindset and be open to new ideas, perspectives, and opportunities. Seek and share best practices, lessons learned, and success stories from within and outside your company. Learn from your mistakes, failures, and challenges and use them as opportunities to improve and innovate. Celebrate your achievements, milestones, and progress and recognize your team's efforts and contributions.

4 Manage the resistance

Pivoting can also trigger resistance, fear, and uncertainty among some of your stakeholders. You need to manage the resistance by understanding its sources, listening to its feedback, and addressing its issues. Show empathy, respect, and appreciation for their views and feelings and try to find common ground and mutual benefits. Involve them in the decision-making, problem-solving, and implementation processes and empower them to take ownership and accountability for the change.

5 Collaborate and network

Pivoting requires collaboration and networking across different functions, departments, and levels of your company. You need to build and maintain strong and trusting relationships with your colleagues, managers, and partners and leverage their skills, knowledge, and resources. Seek and offer help, advice, and feedback and foster a culture of cooperation, teamwork, and mutual support. Connect and network with external stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers, investors, and industry experts, and solicit their input, feedback, and endorsement.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?