Carefully Identify and Classify your Stakeholder Groups
Define who is impacted by the change and how much of an impact there will be on their systems, tools or culture. Determine how much influence a group has over the potential success or failure of the project? Who is the key contact or influencer for these groups?
Planning for Change
Plan for how your change will be communicated, how training will be developed and delivered, when, where and how you will engage your stakeholders. Proactively plan for resistance. Know what you are going to say or do when people say; Why do I have to change? I don’t have time for this, I don’t trust it will ever happen or just plain “No”.
Align and Coach Leaders
We coach leaders on the role they play in successfully leading change, encouraging them to build a coalition of like-minded peers who can serve as co-cheerleaders, trouble-shooters or resistance fighters. Make sure the vision, benefits and message are clear and compelling.
Co-Design of Deliverables
People want a say in what their future looks like. Actively partnering with them to create the communications, training or engagement materials or act as local agents of change is an effective way to build support and ultimately achieve your business benefits.
Execute Your Plans
Your leaders are on board, your stakeholder groups are clear, you’ve got your plans and place worked together on the deliverables. Start delivering…and be flexible…things will change. Anticipate what you can and be ready to react when necessary. Stay positive, focused, compassionate and patient.
Reinforce and Celebrate
You and everybody else have been busting their butts to get this change through. How are you going to honor and show appreciation for all that everybody has done? You don’t have to save this until the end, it is part of the relationship building process all along, but you definitely don’t want to leave this one out. Your team just made you look like a rock star, let them know!