Change as a Differentiator

Change as the Differentiator - the Whether and the How 

Most of our 2023 leadership blogs have focused on the importance of both TRUST and CHANGE as we navigate through the headwinds of the pandemic and into the tailwinds of the next normal.

Last month’s blog was on the WHY behind the changes we decide to adopt. As promised, this month, I will provide some thoughts on WHETHER to change and HOW to change. 

Whether to Change:

• Direction 

  • Align the change to corporate goals, product goals, market shifts, and customer needs.

• Value

  • Know the business and cultural value of implemented changes and report on the measured impact of your actions. Consider whether it’s a change that would have an impact on many or few.

• Agency 

  • Decide whether it’s a change you, or other interested parties/stakeholders are able to make. 

• Data 

  • Ensure that the vetted data supports the need for change. Know the quantitative and qualitative measurements of success for the change initiative.

• Speed

  • Adopt the change enthusiastically and proactively by tuning in to your WHY and managing potential risks. (With that said, don’t blindly and speedily embrace a change - see next month’s blog on pivoting through changes.)

How to Change:

• Collaboration

  • Create an ecosystem of partners with a vested interest in embracing the change, based on the strategy and plan from the ‘whether to change’ bullets above.

• Intentionality

  • Empower the ecosystem of stakeholders to collaborate and proactively drive change, celebrating incremental milestones. 

• Resilience

  • Rolling out changes is never easy or seamless. Have the fortitude to continue to strategically plan and communicate how a change will be rolled out, despite the expected and unexpected hurdles along the way.

• Alignment

  • Continue to align the changes with the mission, vision and values of an organization. If managed well, the culture can even improve with the adopted changes.

• Future-Facing 

  • When change happens, organizations, teams, products and leaders may realize new opportunities and challenges which can define the future. 

Change does not happen in a vacuum. Accept that when changes happen, people, products, processes, and plans will also be impacted. Plan what you can, roll with what you get.

Next month, we will cover the concept of pivoting through a change.