Simple Rules for Leading Change

Generally speaking, employees prefer to see a sequential shift in authority rather than unexpected camouflaging changes. Perhaps, hearing the very word ‘changes’ causes bewildering buzzing in their ears, and every now and then, they keep hearing half-cooked stories or rummaging rumors.

Let me narrate an interesting story of a newspaper publication company. It struggled hard to grow in circulation and reap profits through advertisements and marketing campaigns. Excess manpower, low revenues. Only option left was either it winds up or brings in some crucial changes. Well, the management hired an aspiring professor turned marketing advisor on the post of Chief Editor. What then? Simply, the staff became scary because they knew well that the new Chief Editor will slim down the workforce, accelerate some marketing gimmicks and try to propel newspaper to growth by any crafty changes. Truly, their guesswork turned into a nightmare. Many senior staff were fired, and freelancers, at low pay, were hired in the name of cost-cutting strategy.

When it comes to internal changes, 

     - Make a thorough analysis prior to any approval, 

     - Streamline costs instead of surplus spending, 

     - Think how you can reinforce system before rejecting it, 

     - Find out ways to erase contradictions to avoid complications, 

     - Reestablish broken ties for greater relief, 

     - Resolve hidden issues for more transparency and teamwork, 

     - Revamp the workplace culture for collaboration and more productivity and 

     - Sum up key accomplishments and endorse new agendas.

Moreover, change management becomes simpler when you have summed up your prevailing system and know how to achieve your set targets. In the beginning, 

     - Select individuals and empower them to play key roles, 

     - Synchronize teams at the appropriate levels for desired outcomes and 

     - Strengthen organization to apply chosen strategy.

Large corporations, in absence of fair hierarchy and control, become complex entities. So, firstly, to bring in changes, you should exercise prompt and proper control. Secondly, you should be decisive and determined to take initiatives, apply measures and implement policies. Lastly, be at the helm to make things happen and monitor the progress of planned changes.

When bringing in changes, it’s important that you think more of development changes while figuring out what could be possible drawbacks. Think how you can secure changes with smooth transition, and not by sudden disruption that may lead to unwanted deviations. Moving ahead, with patience, speaking when it is required and listening well to deal justly is all counted.

Well, there’s a unique similarity between a teacher and a start-up CEO. The former is a social scientist whose primary role is to impart knowledge, inculcate discipline and mentor and nurture students. While the latter is a responsible leader whose essential role is to lead the company and people for desired growth, communicate vision to mold and make things happen and measure organizational culture to realize what’s pivotal and what’s optional. So, in a sense, both are builders, and obviously they play similar roles.

Whatever changes you desire to have, then you should be aware of simple methodology, from start to finish, where are the visible risks and concealed complexities and how to maneuver affairs for phase-by-phase transformation.

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