Project benefits – Who needs them? For how long have project pundits been exhorting companies to write better business cases or even …
Making change wanted
One in three people would avoid change if they could. Whilst this figure in itself is alarming, it can be problematic from an organisational standpoint. Change is a constant ongoing process, crucial in the development and growth of a business. It helps a business to remain innovative, competitive and progressive. But how do we both make and keep change wanted when a majority of people shy away from it?
We recently hosted a webinar for the HPCA (Healthcare Project and Change Association). Here we focussed on how we make change wanted by employees within an organisation. During the course of the webinar, it was questioned how we can make change wanted in the first place, and the ways in which we can keep it wanted throughout the duration of the change process, especially in instances where issues, such as change fatigue, may emerge.
In this article we will be discussing these questions and the importance they hold within an organisational setting, as well as how to ensure processes of change can be executed smoothly and in a manner that allows for everyone to feel included.
How do we make change wanted?
In order to understand how we can make change wanted in individuals, it’s firstly important to understand what motivates people to persevere and persist through times of change. One of the biggest factors to acknowledge when discussing making change wanted surrounds leadership and understanding.
In situations where individuals may be seen as being resistant to change, the importance of strong communication must be emphasised. This communication should particularly be based on honesty and transparency around the process. Making people feel included in the process and being open about the potential limitations, disbenefits and challenges that may arise can actually be significant in encouraging people to embrace change.
We must communicate the reasoning behind the change and why this would benefit both the company and them as employees. People like to know what’s in it for them. Almost one-third of employees don’t understand why changes are happening. This can be detrimental to the change process as it can act as a barrier and may result in resistance to change.
By communicating the reasoning behind why the change is occurring, and presenting the individuals with the benefits they can expect to receive because of the change, it’s much more likely that they will be onboard with the process.
Asking questions and empowering people is really important. In situations where resistance to change may be felt, it’s likely to be because of a lack of communication and understanding of the process itself. People want to be involved, understand, and be heard. So, speaking to them about the situation can help make them feel as though they’re being included in the process. This prevents individuals feeling as though they are just having to allow the change to occur around them.
How do we keep change wanted?
Communication during times of change is pivotal. It’s the key to successful change.
The process of change can be a long one and there’s no guarantee it will always remain on-track or linear in its progression either. So, at times it can be difficult to keep change wanted. For this reason, it’s important to acknowledge the small wins, and how these will come together and create a bigger collective benefit. This way, we’re more likely to keep people engaged as they are seeing the positive impact in their efforts.
The ability to capture the small wins and report these back to others can discourage feelings of change fatigue, or that there’s no progress at all. Even in instances where there isn’t anything to report, communicating this ensures those involved that it hasn’t been forgotten about. The worst thing you can do is to avoid communication, regardless of its progression, or lack thereof.
When it comes to communication, it’s important to remember that one size does not fit all. You need to understand how best to communicate in a way that is inclusive and engaging for everyone. One person may appreciate an email update. However, another could be inundated with emails and may prefer a call, brief meeting or short message to catch up.
Summary
To summarise, the key to making change wanted and keeping it wanted comes down to valuable communication. Understanding communication preferences and barriers to change will enable you to bring the relevant people on your journey through change. It also helps them realise the benefits to them and their role, as well as the wider community and organisation.
Asking questions and actively listening will promote open dialogue and engagement, addressing concerns and celebrating successes.
If you would like to learn more about how CITI Limited could help you as partners to make change wanted, then please feel free to contact us on 01908 283600, email support@citi.co.uk.
You may also be interested in...
Taxonomy for project benefits part two – Strategic benefits As I said before, if projects had clear and consistent statements about project benefits, they’d be …
Taxonomy for project benefits part one – Financial benefits If project business cases had clear and consistent statements about the anticipated benefits, …
