Is Your Organization Ready for Change?
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How willing is your business to look inward before implementing a change? Change readiness is an important organizational assessment. Not only does it clue your employees into the possibilities or probabilities of change, but it also allows leaders to gauge how prepared the staff and overall culture are for the pending change.
There are several Organizational Change Readiness Assessments out there--some that can be borrowed from other organizations, some free online tools, and some that can be purchased or contracted. As you look to understand your organization’s readiness for change, consider the following areas:
Reason and Desired Outcome: Do you know why the change is necessary and what the end goal is? Do your employees, especially the ones who will be directly involved and/or impacted? What about your customers/clients? What is the success criteria and how does it affect various groups connected with your business?
Capacity: Can your staff and operations continue to do critical work while implementing the desired change? There may be some adjustments or slow-downs, however “the show must go on” as you and your team tackle what’s new and what is to come. How will you ensure that your customers get what they need and your staff does not burn out during the transition?
Buy-in: Can you secure support or buy-in from leaders, staff and key stakeholders? How will you do this? Consider what each constituency will need to feel comfortable enough throughout the change cycle.
Communication and Support: Do you have a plan to keep people informed and supported throughout the process? What frequency? What format? How detailed? People need information in order to understand their roles and what’s expected of them, as well as to prepare for what’s ahead.
Cultural Impacts: Any change will impact how your organization gets things done and the experience of working there or doing business with you. Have you considered how your desired change and the road to get there may alter your culture? Do you have a plan to address or adjust for these impacts?
Leadership: Do you have the right people to lead through all aspects of the change? Are your leaders empowered to make decisions and take responsibility for their assigned change areas? Are your leaders worthy of being followed? Consider also a separate plan for your leaders to help ensure they are getting and giving what they need throughout the change process.
Tools and Resources: This would include things like analytics, change management methodology, systems, budgets, talent and outside expertise. Do you have what you need in your toolbox to support your desired change?
Skills and Training: Are you prepared to provide training and support toward building new skills for impacted roles? Are you ready for people to take adequate time to learn new processes and skills as they navigate the changes being made to the organization and their jobs? Have you considered what training customers/clients may need to feel confident continuing to do business with you?
Resolve and Resilience: How dedicated and determined is your organization to pulling together and doing what’s necessary to get to the end result? How have they handled past changes? Do you know where or when an energy boost may be needed and how you will provide that?
It’s easy to say a change is needed. However, its success rests upon the leaders and doers within your organization. The more you know about their readiness for the change and the more prepared you are to support them along the way, the smoother and more effective the desired changes will be.
Would you like a partner to assist you and your team in navigating change? Reach out to us for assistance with changes impacting your organization--we would love to help.
Originally published to LInkedIn
