Change and the Power of Choice: Part 10 – Celebrate the Change
We now arrive at step number 9, the final step in management of business change; Celebrate the Change. This step is the icing on the cake, the bow on the package. But it is a step I have rarely seen first hand. In fairness, I could have called this step “mourn the change”. But it is best to stay optimistic, especially in the business world, and for this reason, I would rather state this step as “Celebrate” the Change.
Success lends itself to celebration. The fruits of a successful change made be announced at an all hands meeting, a department meeting, or a team meeting. Or it may be noted in corporate communications, or even public communications; trade journals, magazines, or newspapers. Success in business is most often difficult. A celebration of success, success across teams, or the entire organization will energize all. Whether they were directly involved in the change, or not. This is the time for feeling great satisfaction that the effort, the problems, the misses, the extra hours were worth it. This can be a small moment that builds pride, and company culture in a big way.
We can ask the hard question, “are there things to celebrate if the Change itself fails, or is marginally successful?” If we spend a little time reviewing the nine step process, there certainly are things to celebrate. Starting with the first step, we are better listeners because of the process we have followed. We are also more engaged in the Change, as we ask questions, and understand the reasons that drive the change. We have built better relationships within our team, and our organization, as we worked those steps that emphasize communications, and reaching out to members of our department, our team, our business partners, and even our customers. We have become better leaders but buying into the change, or conversely, presenting strong reasons to push back on the change. We have become better followers when we commit to support the change. This includes providing reporting back to the right decision makers with any gaps, or problems as the change is implemented, and metrics are collected. We have become better employees as we have better understood what is driving the change, and made the extra effort to look for accountability. On an individual level, we have become more empowered, we are no longer victims to the change. The key to being empowered is to be active, engaged in the process of the change.
As a recap, below are the Nine Steps that are the outline for Mastery of Change:
1) Hear the Change: Make the assumption that the message of Change you hear will be important, and will impact you.
2) Ask Questions: If you do not fully understand the change, or the impact of the Change, it is your job to ask questions. But make sure they are the right questions.
3) Measure the Impact: What are the benefits of the Change. When will they be realized. What is the measure of success for the change.
4) Decide: Decide on whether you will support the change as stated, or if you need to negotiate the terms of the change. This is the most empowering step of the nine!
5) Follow Through: Do the follow through(s) that are needed based on your decision.
6) Implement: Own, and act on your responsibilities to implement the Change. Understand how problems will be escalated during implementation of the change.
7) Track the Change: Ensure that tracking of the Change is being done. Identify the metrics, and see that they are being captured.
8) Report the Success: Ensure that the right teams, and decision makers are fed the correct metrics around the now implemented change. Report any residual, unexpected successes to the right teams. Get sign off the Change was successful based on greed upon metrics.
9) Celebrate the Change: Allow the organization to enjoy the success brought about by the Change. This can be a morale building opportunity. Even if the Change was not successful, or only partially successful, there are still reasons to celebrate, knowing we have engaged actively in the Change process.
In summary, when we make the extra effort, and do our diligence around Change, the organization will have a more successful Change implementation, with better buy-in, thus reducing costs, and therefor increasing profits. Or in the case of a non-profit, be a more efficient organization providing better services, at lower costs, to more clients. At a personal level, we have realized that we need not be victims of Change. Our best course during the Change process, is to be actively engaged in the process. By doing this, we are no longer victims. We are better workers, leaders, and decision makers. We have become Masters of Change.
We now arrive at step number 9, the final step in management of business change; Celebrate the Change. This step is the icing on the cake, the bow on the package. But it is a step I have rarely seen first hand. In fairness, I could have called this step “mourn the change”. But it is best to stay optimistic, especially in the business world, and for this reason, I would rather state this step as “Celebrate” the Change.
Success lends itself to celebration. The fruits of a successful change made be announced at an all hands meeting, a department meeting, or a team meeting. Or it may be noted in corporate communications, or even public communications; trade journals, magazines, or newspapers. Success in business is most often difficult. A celebration of success, success across teams, or the entire organization will energize all. Whether they were directly involved in the change, or not. This is the time for feeling great satisfaction that the effort, the problems, the misses, the extra hours were worth it. This can be a small moment that builds pride, and company culture in a big way.
We can ask the hard question, “are there things to celebrate if the Change itself fails, or is marginally successful?” If we spend a little time reviewing the nine step process, there certainly are things to celebrate. Starting with the first step, we are better listeners because of the process we have followed. We are also more engaged in the Change, as we ask questions, and understand the reasons that drive the change. We have built better relationships within our team, and our organization, as we worked those steps that emphasize communications, and reaching out to members of our department, our team, our business partners, and even our customers. We have become better leaders but buying into the change, or conversely, presenting strong reasons to push back on the change. We have become better followers when we commit to support the change. This includes providing reporting back to the right decision makers with any gaps, or problems as the change is implemented, and metrics are collected. We have become better employees as we have better understood what is driving the change, and made the extra effort to look for accountability. On an individual level, we have become more empowered, we are no longer victims to the change. The key to being empowered is to be active, engaged in the process of the change.
As a recap, below are the Nine Steps that are the outline for Mastery of Change:
1) Hear the Change: Make the assumption that the message of Change you hear will be important, and will impact you.
2) Ask Questions: If you do not fully understand the change, or the impact of the Change, it is your job to ask questions. But make sure they are the right questions.
3) Measure the Impact: What are the benefits of the Change. When will they be realized. What is the measure of success for the change.
4) Decide: Decide on whether you will support the change as stated, or if you need to negotiate the terms of the change. This is the most empowering step of the nine!
5) Follow Through: Do the follow through(s) that are needed based on your decision.
6) Implement: Own, and act on your responsibilities to implement the Change. Understand how problems will be escalated during implementation of the change.
7) Track the Change: Ensure that tracking of the Change is being done. Identify the metrics, and see that they are being captured.
8) Report the Success: Ensure that the right teams, and decision makers are fed the correct metrics around the now implemented change. Report any residual, unexpected successes to the right teams. Get sign off the Change was successful based on greed upon metrics.
9) Celebrate the Change: Allow the organization to enjoy the success brought about by the Change. This can be a morale building opportunity. Even if the Change was not successful, or only partially successful, there are still reasons to celebrate, knowing we have engaged actively in the Change process.
In summary, when we make the extra effort, and do our diligence around Change, the organization will have a more successful Change implementation, with better buy-in, thus reducing costs, and therefor increasing profits. Or in the case of a non-profit, be a more efficient organization providing better services, at lower costs, to more clients. At a personal level, we have realized that we need not be victims of Change. Our best course during the Change process, is to be actively engaged in the process. By doing this, we are no longer victims. We are better workers, leaders, and decision makers. We have become Masters of Change.
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