Change management initiatives and organizational change is one of the few constants in the business world. Whether it’s a proactive change, like adopting cutting edge technology that will give you a competitive edge, or a reactive change, like figuring out how to adjust to a global pandemic, there are a few things you can do to ensure that your managers and employees are prepared to embrace the constant changes coming their way. While these change management practices apply to any initiative, they provide a valuable foundation for managing and optimizing Salesforce.
Four To-Dos Before Change Management Initiatives
Let’s cover the four, key things you should keep in mind as you tackle the change management initiatives that will keep you and your organization at the forefront of your industry.
Show the value of the change.
You know why this change is necessary. You’ve done all the research, talked to all the vendors and consultants, and know exactly what goals this change will bring your organization closer to reaching. Do you know who doesn’t know why the change is necessary? Everyone else in your organization. When you bring your team and organization into your thinking and share all the pros of this change, they are much more likely to support it throughout the implementation process. Show your team the value the proposed change will bring, you will find it much easier to implement.
Set clear expectations.
The biggest downfall of any change management process is misunderstood or unclear goal posts. If your team doesn’t understand what you expect success to look like, they will not know what they need to do to get there. This results in frustrated employees and a failed change management initiative. When you set clear expectations, people will know what’s expected of them and can plan accordingly. Clear expectations also help you measure how successful the initiative is overall.
Start small.
The easiest way to figure out how to best roll out a change management initiative is to do a test run. This trial will allow you to test your roll-out procedures on a small group to see where any hiccups occur. Running a beta group test will also allow you to get feedback from actual employees on how things went and where improvements need to be made. Big kick-offs can be very exciting and build momentum but inertia is a powerful force and, without proof of concept, that inertia can lead to the failure of your change initiative. By starting small, you are able to show not only how this initiative will help in the long run, you also create powerful advocates among your employees who will be able to recruit others.
Share the load with your team.
Establishing roles and responsibilities upfront for different aspects of the change management process is essential. At a minimum, you’ll need effective executive sponsorship, but many organizations benefit from forming a broader governing body, typically made up of people that have a significant stake in certain Salesforce functions or data sets. The sponsor will help guide the change management group by defining the process and establishing strategic objectives. The governing body translates these objectives into actionable plans and makes sure the plans and priorities they set accommodate the needs of diverse stakeholders.
Change is crucial to organizations that want to continue to thrive. When you follow these steps, you help ensure that your change initiative is embraced by your employees and ignites the transformation you need to stay ahead of the competition.
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