For many people and businesses, change is a dreaded word. That is an attitude of defeat. Today I want to explore how to make change a term of opportunity.
You can’t change change
Change is going to happen. It comes at us from all angles: the weather, interest rates, consumer tastes, and technology. The first step to managing change is to accept it.
It is important for you to be aware of what is happening around you, whether it is the economy or trends. Check in with your customers and suppliers regularly so you can respond accordingly when change does occur.
Knowing that some things will change, you can make plans that will allow you to adapt and thrive. For example, understanding the implications of new tax laws puts you in a proactive position. A detailed plan is essential when rolling out a new product or service. Having a plan will keep you on budget and on time.
A simply, yet critical plan for change is onboarding new employees. Too many businesses are “too busy” and do not take the time to indoctrinate and train new team members. As a result, there is high turnover and lower productivity.
Technology changes rapidly. Having a plan to sunset and replace technology allows for an orderly transition. Keeping up with software updates will extend the usefulness of the technology that you use and require less training than starting over.
Dealing with the Unexpected
As with most natural disasters, the recent amount of devastation from hurricanes could not be predicted. The unexpected departure or illness of a key team member can be very disruptive, as are things like internet outages or equipment problems.
While you cannot prepare for everything, having a disaster plan will help.
Set up a notification system for employees in case of an emergency. Having all of your systems backed up should be a part of your everyday processes. Take time now to identify critical functions and who will perform them.
A simple solution for dealing with unexpected changes is to do cross training for each position. More than one person should have at least basic knowledge of how to perform each function in the organization. This is one step that can keep you functioning at a basic level when the need arises.
You Get to Decide
No one really likes change – we like to stay in our comfort zone. The world will change around you. You get to decide, is this change something I will embrace and leverage, or will I stay behind?
There are some changes that give us no choice, such as laws and regulations. You are far better off being compliant than risk the consequences. There are others that give you options. If a supplier or vendor raises their prices, it is worthwhile to either negotiate or shop around for a better deal.
Learning a new process or new technology is rarely embraced. The key to success, and fewer complaints, is to learn and understand the advantages of the new versus the old. Once people can see the benefits, they are more likely to support and participate in the changes.
Embrace Change
You can either embrace changes and respond to them in a careful, planned way, or you can wait for the change to happen and react with panic. Your response will affect how your team and your customers respond. Staying calm and making thoughtful decisions is easier when you have put plans in place. Your job as the business owner is to prepare for the future as well as make decisions for the here and now. We cannot see ever change in advance, but we can expect and embrace the changes as they occur.
Author: Sandy Merritt, Business Coach