How to Make a Big Change a Little Easier

Change is hard no matter who you are or where you work. When it comes to large-scale organizational change like implementing a new technology, there are many what-ifs that can deter even the most motivated change-makers. What if the change makes things worse? What if the change is resisted? What if the change doesn’t deliver immediate success? Change will always be challenging, but here are a few ways to make sure that the changes you make are changes for the better.

Identify

People are the heart of every organization, large and small. Odds are that any major change will have an impact on some, if not all, members of your organization. Identify those impacts – where will they be the most significant? Who possesses the skills, the knowledge, and the influence to make this change successful? Who needs to be involved in designing and implementing the change? Who will bear the brunt of this change? 

Involve

Once you’ve identified the stakeholders who are critical to the success of a change, bring them to the table in a meaningful way. This will be beneficial for both the stakeholders and to the project. The stakeholders will take on ownership of the project and be more invested in its success, and the project will benefit from the stakeholders’ boots-on-the-ground knowledge and experience. Ask for feedback and demonstrate how that feedback is informing the project.

Inform

In most cases, it isn’t possible to have every member of the organization highly involved in the planning, development, and implementation of a change. For those individuals who are not identified as primary stakeholders, be sure to keep them informed from the start of the project’s life. Be specific about the change, how it will affect them, and how you will prepare them for it. Provide relevant, regular updates and a forum for questions and concerns. 

Implement

A project doesn’t end at go-live. Be sure to stick with the individuals affected by the change to provide support after the change is implemented. Be flexible and willing to modify as needed. Provide resources and an easily accessible platform for feedback.

NPS is Your Partner in Making Change Successful

Next Phase Solutions is committed to meaningfully involving stakeholders in each step of the change process. We will help you identify your key stakeholders, involve them through comprehensive discovery sessions and demos, provide resources and training to keep the organization informed, and stay engaged in the project to provide support after the change is implemented. NPS has over 20 years of experience in implementing highly customized solutions that modernize and streamline organizational efforts. Learn how we can help you and your organization implement your next successful change at www.npsols.com or reach out for a demo through npscorp@npsols.com.

Written by Delaney Lomenick, Edits by Nora Godiksen

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay