How to Lead Organizational Change

Organizational change is necessary, but that doesn't make it easy to lead. After all, even a routine oil change for your vehicle requires you to accurately prepare by having the right oil and filter. The process of the oil change requires the right actions as you have to be careful not to over-tighten the oil plug or overfill the oil. Not being properly prepared or not being deliberate in your actions will create a huge mess - no matter what you are attempting to change.

All change has a higher success rate when you have the right resources before you lead the change and plan the right actions for the change.

That's the purpose of this article. I'm hoping it will be the right resource that will guide you through the right actions.

Throughout my career I have been both the recipient and the leader of organizational change. I have seen and led organizations through a seamless process of change and it was beautiful. I have also seen organizations whose process of change felt like we were on a battlefield walking over one landmine after another. The Change Guide I am presenting you was developed from the highs and lows of my professional experiences.

Let's begin by clarifying what is meant by 'organizational change'.

Organizational change refers to the process and actions of a company or leader altering a component, culture, infrastructure, vision, method, or process within the organization.

Organizational change will vary in its complexity, but the elements of change are all similar. I encourage you to reference this Change Guide any time you or your organization are preparing for change. The ultimate goal is for this Change Guide to become the standard operating procedure any time you or your organization are preparing for any type of change.

Before I continue I ask you to stop yourself from dismissing this Change Guide by pre-judging the impact your change will have on your organization and employees. All change impacts the people in your organization and those people have thoughts, habits, comforts, fears, and a hesitance to the unknown. Many leaders and organizations sabotage their own change efforts by dismissing its impact on your employees and being sloppy in its implementation.

This Change Guide is a methodical approach to change that empowers leaders to evaluate their desire to change, retrieve valuable information, identify blind spots, build consensus, and debut thorough plans that succeed at launch.

Step 1 - Identify the Why Behind the Change

What is the problem you want to solve? What are you making more efficient? What do you want to accomplish? Identifying the why behind your desired change will give you clarity and focus through the coming process. Once you have identified the why, you should be able to state it in one clear concise statement. Example statements would be "to decrease the time it takes for our customers to receive our product" or "to increase employee retention" or "to increase sales".

Step 2 - Informal Conversations with People Closest to the Planned Change

These informal conversations will help you discover if what you think is the problem is the actual problem. This step requires you to have informal conversations with the people who are closest to the problem. You will find out what the people closest to the information are experiencing and what they believe would be a solution. You will get fantastic insights from these people. You may even be surprised to discover they noticed the problem long before you did and have already developed strategies for resolution. Good ways to begin these informal conversations are "I'm wondering if we can [state your why] and I'd love to hear if you think there is a way to do this" or "You know what working our process is like and I'm wondering if you think there's something we can improve in order to [state your why]. These conversations should be so informal in tone that they don't cause concern or create rumors. Instead, their informality and personal tone will create excitement about that individual's role being noticed and their opinion being valued. Be certain to keep a written or mental list of the people you have had an informal conversation with.

Step 3 - Reevaluate Your Plan Using the Informal Conversation Insights

Your informal conversations will provide you with insights and possibilities that you may not have previously considered. These conversations will empower you with the knowledge of those working closest to the process. The conversations will also eliminate the blind spots that all leaders possess when it comes to the micro details of the operation. Take all the information you have gathered and use it to develop or improve the new process, procedure, system, or method.

Step 4 - Introduce Your Improved Plan to the Leadership Team

Have an official meeting and talk to the leadership team about your why. Tell them you have had informal conversations with the people who work closest to the process or procedure and have gained valuable insights. You will then ask them for their feedback about what they think would be the best way to achieve the desired why. By the end of this meeting each leader will know what impact this might have on their personal role and how this will help you accomplish the why. End the meeting by reviewing the revised plan and informing them of your intent to introduce the plan to a few team members to create consensus.

Step 5 - Introduce Your Revised Plan to the Informal Conversations

Set up an official meeting with each of the people from your previous informal conversation. Let them know the information they shared with you was valuable and you believe it will help your organization accomplish the why. Share the revised plan with them and be certain to highlight any area of the plan that connects with the insights they provided you. Close your meeting by presenting them the implementation plan that includes communication to the organization or department, training schedule, and important dates. These meetings will build grass roots support and give you a prequel of the response of your organization. Before the employee leaves ask if there is something specific you should do or say to help the team/organization accept the plan more easily. This final question is important to the next steps. You will also ask them to keep this to themselves until it is introduced to everyone. People love feeling like they are on the inside.

Step 6 - Introduce Your Finalized Plan to the Leadership Team

This meeting is brief. Present your finalized Change Plan in an organized and professional way with the details of the plan, the communication strategy to the organization or department, the training schedule, and the important roll out dates.

Step 7 - Introduce Your Finalized Plan to the Organization

This is the official roll out of your change plan. It is vitally important for you stay true to the finalized plan, communication, training, and roll out dates that you shared in your informal conversations and with your leadership team. Failing to do so will create distrust and an undertow of negativity among your leaders and team. As you introduce your plan, it is good to communicate that you have received insight from multiple people in the organization and that many ideas from many people were put together. At this point in the Change Plan you will begin to notice the tangible and intangible results of the work you have invested into your change strategy. Your effort has given your change plan the fuel it needs to take off and see quicker results.

I launched the Elevated Leadership Group because I am passionate about helping organizations and leaders be their absolute best. The Change Plan I have presented to you will have a huge positive impact on your organization and your employees.

Most leaders believe change has to be difficult and always makes a number of people angry. This is simply not true.

The most difficult part of change is the hard work that you must invest into the process. So - use this Change Guide and do the difficult work that great leadership requires.

Feel free to connect with me if I can be a help and partner with you, your leadership team, or your organization.

Peter Lopez III | peter@elevatedleadershipgroup.com | 602-935-9444

(article originally published as a blog at ElevatedLeadershipGroup.com/blog)