1- Convert the loudest sceptic to your side.
The person who asks many questions or is vocal to challenge your ideas will be your greatest advocate if you can convert them. In one of my projects, I met a person who asked very confrontational questions. Later, I found out what he wanted was to understand the subject better. Once I understood that and helped him realize what was needed for change, he was my greatest advocate.
2- At the initial change management phase, find people to support you. Find a believer.
The start of a change journey is lonely. Pick out from the group anyone who is already thinking like you. Get them on your team. You can bounce ideas off each other and provide some input about the business that you might not know.
3- Show people the problem and the consequences.
We are creatures of habits because of our brain connections. Sometimes, words are not enough to create new connections in the brain.
In one case, I wanted an analyst to produce testing results promptly. There were many coaching sessions with him but to no avail. One day I showed him two diagrams of two ways to change mould in a machine. I asked him which was more efficient. Then, out of the blue, he exclaimed, “Oh, I see…”. He just had an Aha moment. From that day, he understood what was important, and he started to work out his daily schedule where previously he was not able to do.
In Jamie’s Oliver food revolution, he did two visuals.
-First, he placed all the junk foods the family had eaten from the previous week in the room and showed them how disgusting that was.
Next, he got the family to cook with him and feel for themselves that they can have good healthy food for the same amount of money, time, and ease.
4- “Are you ready to change.”
People will not change unless they are ready to. When people are ready to change is during a crisis in business or personal health. People are more ready to make new brain connections when changing jobs, having a baby, dealing with death, buying a new house, moving to a new country and many more. I remember a radio marketer once said two essential tools of radio marketing are repetition and the message delivered at a significant change in the audience’s life.
Look out for readiness to change.
5- Start with a trial.
Everyone I know says they want to change, but not everyone is ready to change. The idea of change is attractive, but the actual change is painful.
The best approach is to start with a trial. If it works, people can see the benefit. If it is not, revert. In this way, people are more acceptable. By doing the trial, we are trying to create new connections in the brain and lead to acceptance. The trial is also important because it can test negative and positive assumptions.
In one project, I started two trials. In one trial it did not achieve the expected outcome. Despite that, we were successful because this team has taken the first step to create new connections in their brains. This trial brought about new ideas and acceptance of another idea down the track.
In the second trial, we were successful. The team saw the benefits and took the initiative to go to the next level and expanded the idea to other work areas. In this instance, one of the loudest sceptics was converted.
6- It takes time
Transformation involves creating new connections in the brain. It will take time for that to happen. Some of my successful projects were between 2 weeks to 9 months. But a transformation of the mind can take up to four years or more. Coaching and visual methods are tools that we can use to help create new connections faster.
7- Failure is part of the process
Don’t be disillusioned that following a model will get you to change overnight. Be prepared to fail. One discussion among lean practitioners mentioned that it is normal to fail between 3 to 10 times.
Acknowledging you will fail means you can prepare for it. Here’s how:
– Tell the team at the start to expect the unexpected, and it is possible to fail.
– Define success more broadly. Include learning, new behaviours, new insights as success factors.
– Share experiences on how other companies have failed before they succeed.
8- See the small wins.
Highlight small wins. I organize Gemba walks regularly. It’s when top management visits the workplace and meet the workers. The workers will present their wins (big or small). The outcome of this is huge. There is engagement between top management and the workers, pride in explaining their work, and recognition.
9 – Get more vocal supporters.
We usually began the change management process in a lonely fashion. Once there are some traction find more supporters and expand your scope. One organization that I was engaged with started with 3% of the staff who believed in lean management. After four years, we have almost 50% buy-in. People were now looking to change rather than being told to.
Try it. I would love to hear about your experiences as well.
Thank you.
KY Loke