| Change is an ever-present component of small | | | | list of change management best practices: |
| business ownership. The ability for small business | | | | - Communication: Every change requires |
| owners to effectively manage change lays the | | | | communicating the goal to all who are involved. |
| groundwork for growth and helps build the | | | | And listening to the all who are involved |
| foundation for the development of a positive | | | | - Humility - Understanding the constraint of your |
| corporate culture. What can small business owners | | | | resources and making sure you do all in your |
| do to make themselves better change leaders? | | | | power to accommodate. |
| What are the most important factors to consider | | | | - Democratic dictatorship - As someone said, |
| when managing change? | | | | "The Roman empire was not created by |
| Have a Plan and Take Small Steps | | | | committee", you need to communicate/listen but |
| Change is something that your small business is | | | | then take quick decision. It may not satisfy |
| sure to experience. A great way to prepare | | | | everyone but it will allow you to move forward |
| yourself to manage change as a small business | | | | knowing that you communicated with humility. |
| owner is to develop a change plan. Take a look at | | | | - More Change Management Ideas |
| all facets of your business and write a simple list | | | | I will leave you with a few more ideas on change |
| of strategies that take into account possible | | | | management derived from "The Biggest Mistakes |
| changes in each functional area. "Build a big plan | | | | in Managing Change" (Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D.): |
| with small steps. A 'big' plan isn't an enormous | | | | |
| impenetrable document, it is the summation of big | | | | 1. Appreciate and acknowledge the importance of |
| ideas necessary to build belief and overcome | | | | people in any change initiative. "Organizations don't |
| inertia...it functions as an overlay across the | | | | change. People do -- or they don't." Whenever |
| business to keep initiatives in balance" says Philip | | | | possible, include your employees in any change |
| Stanley, Founder at Minutecoach in the U.K. "For | | | | discussions and recognize that each person may |
| the owners, small steps mitigate risk and allow | | | | react to a specific change differently. Let people |
| fluidity of movement. If the pace of change gets | | | | know the reasons for change and include them in |
| a little aggressive or laggardly, you can jiggle your | | | | any change planning conversations. |
| blocks into a new pattern." | | | | 2. Treat change as a "mental, emotional and |
| Communication | | | | physical process" as opposed to another business |
| One of the most important components of | | | | "event". Acknowledge the fact that change may |
| change management is effective communication. | | | | be a very emotional process for your team. |
| Terri Maurer, Planning and Strategies Consultant | | | | 3. Direct, honest communication is the best policy. |
| and Owner of The Maurer Consulting Group in | | | | Don't attempt to "protect" your employees by |
| Cleveland Ohio believes that "communication is the | | | | withholding facts about any pending changes or |
| key to a smooth passage of change in any | | | | trying to spin doctor the details. Also be aware of |
| organization. Getting as many people as possible | | | | communicating change in a timely fashion - people |
| into the change process, even if it involves no | | | | are smart and will figure out pretty quickly that |
| more than gathering input from staff through | | | | something is up. If you create an information |
| management, will do much to move the process | | | | vacuum by ignoring the need to communicate |
| forward." She also mentions that keeping your | | | | changes quickly, your team will fill the vacuum |
| team "appraised of what is going on and why" | | | | with their own interpretation of the changes are |
| should facilitate a smooth transition. "Utilize as | | | | taking place. |
| many channels of communications as possible: | | | | 4. Believe in the potential of your group and their |
| face to face meetings, company memos, e-mail, | | | | ability to embrace change and flourish. "Trust in |
| newsletters, company intranet, etc." | | | | the innate intelligence, capability, and creativity of |
| Vijay Shah, Engineer and Operation Manager at | | | | your employees -- and people will astound you. |
| Bauer Controls in Detroit, developed the following | | | | |