The way we work is constantly evolving, through new processes, advancing technology, and new products and services. The organizations that succeed are the ones who manage change effectively to drive positive outcomes.

Effective change management is more than a leader announcing a change and expecting everyone to get on board. Before a change takes place, leaders must evaluate the change to ensure it’s got the potential to make a real, positive impact.

One practical way to do this is by answering the following questions to determine if the change makes sense:

1. Will this change benefit both the team and organization?
2. Is it aligned with the organization’s purpose, mission, and values?
3. Is this change specific and clearly defined?
4. Have we engaged the key influencers on the team and are they supportive of the change and why it matters?
5. Can the change be tested before it’s fully implemented?
6. Are the necessary physical, financial, and human resources available for the change?
7. What support will team members need during the initial disruption or learning curve?
8. Is this change reversible if needed?
9. Is this change the next obvious step?
10. Does it deliver both short- and long-term benefits?
11. Is the leadership capable of successfully leading implementation and adoption of this change?
12. How will we know if the change is successful?
13. Is now the right time for this change?

These questions can guide leaders on if the change they are considering makes sense for their organization and team and set them up for a well-managed change and success.

If you decide to move forward with the change, consider these questions as well:

1. Why are we changing, what, exactly, is the change, and what is changing for each role? How will we communicate this information to the team?
2. How will this change affect people’s day-to-day work and what will we stop doing as a result?
3. What behaviors must change, not just processes or tools, for this change initiative to succeed?

These three questions will help with announcing the change and getting your team on board.

Next week, we’ll continue this discussion by exploring the different types of team members you’ll encounter during change and how each one impacts adoption and momentum.

PS: Small business leaders shouldn’t have to come up with their own frameworks in order to implement positive changes for processes or technologies. When you’re ready, The Outlier Team is here to provide you the change management frameworks and tools to help you implement change in your organization and maximize adoption by your team. Reply to this email for more information.

Perry Myers
​The Outlier Team​