Remember the good old Hindi proverb "Sau sunar ki, ek luhar ki" (a hundred hits from a goldsmith are equal to that of one from an ironsmith) translated for usage as a hundred hits from a weak adversary is less effective than one from a strong adversary.
I believe that in change management …. the slow path, a hundred small hits are better than one strong/ hard hit
People take time to change and adapt …. repetitive small hits are better
Change management should be done as a goldsmith.
Most businesses today, take their people as their primary asset … can we call them gold? … and when dealing with gold, it is better to make many small hits, so that it doesn't break or go completely out of shape, but changes shape to adjust to the new environment.
In the VUCA world, we are all required to make or lead changes from small to big…some go successful, some not
The post-mortem reviews many a time reveal lack of change management as at least one of causes. This may show up as - acceptability issues, inability to use, slow uptake, non-sustained usage, etc.
Here are some best practices:
Know the impacted parties from day 1 – people those who will implement the change on the ground would be the owners, controllers of the changing process. People who will use the changed process
Involve them …. Almost all practices would talk about involving impacted parties… let's expand on this
Involve from day 1
Take feedback continuously
Get the influencers to join the team that is creating the new process
Talk to them as group
Talk to them 1 to 1 : When talking of course you are there to sell the change…but what's the hurry …. Let the conversation take place…build trust…listen with intent and interest…. And more often than not the person will share their thoughts, what's bothering them about change. Sometimes it would take several small and big conversations before you can convert them
Listen to them in the creation process…. If you put them off too many times and they are not convinced in the creation process… your change will be doomed before it launched…. Remember the larger team, would ask them "how's the project going" …. imagine their answer & its impact
Lastly, continuing with gold analogy - a well made ornament lasts long .....similarly ...change done well ... lasts long
all the best
An edited and updated version of this was published on yourstory.com