Change is hard, but we live change every day in our busy roles making a difference for our not-for-profit organisations. Anyone part of delivering a strategy is essentially delivering change management, and once the dust settles and the shiny roadmap has been drawn up, the hard work really begins.
From large scale shifts, such as organisational restructures down to small scale changes such as delivering a new campaign, we are constantly iterating in our roles to do things differently.
Managed well, change can be an empowering shift for staff and leaders, helping to navigate an organisation into a position of growth and innovation. Managed poorly however, change programmes can create undue stress, muddy lines of communication and put work at risk.
The goal state
Whilst the success measure of any change project is delivering the prescribed shift, we are firm believers that the goal state is in how this is delivered – collaboratively, informed and bringing all stakeholders along with you on the journey. The goal state is, quite simply, synergy.
Synergy describes that achievement of working together as a true team – each playing their part and contributing to the greater whole. Sounds positive, doesn’t it. But taking the steps to get there take time and energy; and a commitment from leaders to embed the change.
We share our top tips for managing change well in our article below.
Why is the change happening?
Starting with asking ‘why’ is always a good approach to sense check any project, especially if there is impactful change associated with it. We use storytelling as a tool in our fundraising to engage our donors. There is also a place for storytelling when we’re looking at change management. What is the story that explains your why? Why is the change happening? Why now? If you can easily tell this story and it makes sense to others, this can be a way to bring people on a change journey with you. If you struggle to articulate the story, or if others find it challenging to follow the story you are telling, there may be some gaps in the reasoning behind the need for change that need addressing.
“If you can easily tell this story and it makes sense to others, this can be a way to bring people on a change journey with you.”
All change starts with a diagnosis of what is wrong and why it might need to be different. Asking ‘why’ can help with this diagnosis and create the case for doing things in a new way.
Top takeaway – can you tell a compelling story about why change is happening?
Bringing the change to life
We can often fall into the trap of thinking of a plan as complete once it’s down on paper (or more often than not, the digital equivalent!). We write something, create goals, attach measures and it all makes perfect sense and looks great in theory. But it’s only when we actually turn to delivery that the change is being brought to life. If we are to embed the change and ensure impact through delivery, we need to bring a planning and process mindset into play.
“We can often fall into the trap of thinking of a plan as complete once it’s down on paper… it’s only when we actually turn to delivery that the change is being brought to life.”
This can be the place where change programmes fail. If we don’t manage the process of embedding and adopt the mindset of learn and iterate as we go, we can end up with a stale piece of paper that promised results but hasn’t been delivered.
Top takeaway – don’t stop at the plan and think job done. Always build in how you intend to implement and embed the change to make it tactical and workable.
Who does the change affect?
People are key to making change work. Engaged, informed stakeholders will be allies, driving what needs to be done to make the shift. People who aren’t communicated with well or who are left in the dark by the change can later on become barriers to success. It’s worth creating a change impact plan to list all the stakeholders affected by the proposed change and how to engage them in the process.
“Engaged, informed stakeholders will be allies, driving what needs to be done to make the shift.”
Taking the time to understand what your teams need and what is important to them will mean you are equipped to have conversations with them about how a new state will affect them, and what you’re doing about it to minimise pain points. The most important thing you can do here is listen. Hold listening forums to give time over to people affected by the proposed change to understand their point of view. This can sometimes surface barriers that haven’t been anticipated and offer solutions to make the change better. Ask how you can support them and what they might need to help them on their journey to acceptance.
Top takeaway – create forums to listen to staff points of view and understand how they will be impacted by the proposed change.
Summary of our top tips for managing change
It’s safe to say there’s a lot of change happening in the world right now. But whilst it might seem heightened and intense, change has always been there, and it’s the one constant we can rely on.
If you are facing change in your organisation it is vital to ensure you bring people along with you and create synergy in your team to put everyone on the same page embracing what need to be done differently.
- Ensure you have diagnosed the need for change by asking ’why’
- Tell the story of why the change is happening
- Don’t just write a plan – think about how to embed the change in delivery
- Think about who is going to be affected by the change and undertake a change impact plan
- Listen to your team to understand their concerns and the support they will need to embrace the change.
Would you like advice from our team of consultants on how to approach a change programme in your organisation? We offer a free 30 minute fundraising consultation and we’re currently taking bookings. Find out more or email us at [email protected] to book your session.