Change. We’ve established that it’s hard all around - for people, leaders, and entire organizations. It requires commitment, willingness to do things differently, and being open to other thought processes and approaches. Successfully executing change is a big deal! However, since companies are ever-moving, growing, shifting, and improving, it’s a never-ending endeavor. By creating a culture of change, organizations can circumvent much of the uncertainty and resistance that accompanies isolated changes. Creating an environment that is change-conducive, flexible, and adaptive supports your team as they shift and adjust - a much better alternative than tossing them into the shark tank! Forbes published an article a couple of years ago that spotlights 14 Ways To Build a Company Culture That Embraces Change. We’ve discussed much of what they cover in the first 3 installments of this series: Why Change is Hard, The Change Maze, and How to Manage Change. The authors point out a few more essentials that, when effectively implemented, [...]

Over the last couple of weeks, ELIAS blogs have explored Why Change is Hard and navigating the Change Maze. The third installment in our Change is Hard But Worth the Effort series focuses on the people piece - how to manage change. Stagnancy stifles. In a world that seems to spin faster and faster, it’s more important than ever for businesses to keep moving and stay ahead of economic and technological changes and advances. Words like innovation and creativity are no longer associated with cutting-edge companies (the Innovators we discussed in Part 2); they are mainstream, essential for growth and success. Whether you love it or hate it, change is necessary. Perhaps the leadership team is on board, ready to do things differently. Top-down management may have its benefits in some instances, but when it comes to change, it’s essential to have the support of your team. After all, they’re the ones who will [...]

Last week’s blog took a deep dive into why Change is Hard But Worth the Effort. Change “requires a passion for doing things differently (which often means there’s a better way of doing things / a better solution / an innovation that improves results or efficiencies, etc.), the creation of new processes and muscle memory for your team, and a decision to not only implement the change but commit to its success (or failure) by tracking results.” The first step is deciding to change. That’s often at least half of the battle. Decisions, however, do not come to fruition without action. Change is a process. A few years ago, I read Spencer Johnson’s #1 bestseller, Who Moved My Cheese? It’s a parable that reveals truths about how we deal with change. In the book, two little people and two mice are in a maze, searching for cheese (success). They learned how to navigate the [...]