5 Preparatory Actions for Change Acceptance

This article discusses how Small Businesses can be traumatized by "Change" even though it is a requirement to participate in the current competitive and economically challenging world. The effects that change can have on your company are both negative and positive. This short read provides insights into 5 positive actions you can take inside your company to ensure acceptance.

Small Business Owners are Affected by Change

Common Place in Enterprise Companies

These days in business, change is becoming second nature in some companies, especially in enterprise firms. Business models have been designed to scale and sustain all kinds of change. There are teams of change management consultants who just love to make one's life better, processes more efficient and yes too, get continuous improvement. All these things are about being better, striving for excellence and growing. You can buy the concept...

Not So in the Small Business World...

In the small business world, usually companies with less than 500 employees and usually under $75m in revenues, the activity of change is not so prevalent. Yes, most of the small business has experienced degrees of change by implementing new computers and software. Over time people accept there will be incremental change. But, how does the company handle big changes, like implementing new practices and/or changing the way they do business?

Most of us realize the internet has disrupted many traditional businesses. There is speculation that retail brick and mortar business will go away in the next decade: imagine for a few minutes that change - huge!!! And, yes we all see changes in the culture, our music, advertising, television and of course technology. How those kinds of changes affect us plays out in different ways, some of which we can control and others not so much.

Keep this idea in mind as your read more..,

Change in a Smaller Business

Let's take the business that contains 10 to 50 people. The business conditions for these firms vary, but they have been impacted in different ways by the economy and competitors, to name a few. They want to grow and prosper, realizing they must do something differently.

In many cases, change is a requirement to survive, which can produce both unfavorable and favorable conditions. A positive aspect is being aware that change is needed, but a negative can be not knowing which path to go down. Also, some of your employees will not stay if they perceive the change as too disruptive to them personally. Since you are either the owner or a member of the leadership team reading this, you can probably add to the list of negatives.

Setting Up Positive Perceptions

So let's change the perspective and think about ways that we could make changes positive in our business. In essence, these actions are preparatory in their implementation (see Footnote 1 for further reference material).

The first suggestion that comes to mind for us is acknowledging that change has effects that may drive our emotions: fear, anxiety, and concern may arise.

The second suggestion is to have you share with your people you recognize this happens by encouraging everyone that they don't have to act out on those emotions: suggest they look at their language and behaviors so that they can discuss what's happening. Agreeing these emotions occur in all of us is real and should be part of the team and group conversations about the impending change.

A third suggestion is to announce the time frame, and reasons for change coupled with the likely outcomes will start the trip: the ultimate purpose of which is to grow and prosper as people which serves the company. The benefits to the employee, while uncomfortable for a while, will produce increases in their technical skills, professional experience, and their knowledge will expand.

A fourth suggestion is to be consistent in over-articulating the reasons why the what and the how of the change - this will allow everyone a chance to process what is happening. Constant communications are the key to setting up and maintaining a favorable condition for acceptance. The use of visual displays throughout your business, with the why's, the what's, and the benefits have typically proven very encouraging, and also, they assist as training devices.

A fifth suggestion is to reward people in ways consistent with your company culture. In essence, it could mean recognition at a private event, a weekend away, and publication in the local newspaper, etc.  We believe you should acknowledge the progress made, identify the outcomes that have occurred, and, most important of all, describe what it means for everyone - do this in person in an all-hands meeting.

Summary of the 5 Preparatory Actions for Change Acceptance

1. Acknowledge there are emotional effects with any change,

2. Recognize negative emotions, inspect actions & language, communicate inside groups, 

3. Announce the change time-frame and reasons with the significant benefits to all,

4. Over-articulate the reasons why, the what's and the how's of the change - use visual displays throughout your business, and finally

5. Reward people in ways consistent with your company culture.

Footnote

1. We recommend exposing yourself and your leadership team to the Strategy Management Institute's Change Management model - look closely at the seven principles/beliefs they have established and considered applying them to your business change process.