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Be A Champion of Change
“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” – George Bernard Shaw, Playwright
Change in the workplace is both inevitable and necessary. And though it’ll eventually make its way to your business, instead of waiting for change to find you, it pays to take matters into your own hands and seek out change. You’ll be one step ahead of the competition, and your team will thank you for it.
In order to successfully champion change in your workplace, there are a few things you can apply to your daily practices.
1. Be an advocate of innovation. It’s important to have a good grasp on what breakthroughs are happening in the market. You can be aware of these by constantly being on the lookout for “new”, whether it’s new technologies, new strategies, new ideas and so-forth.
Subscribe to various industry-related newsletters and blogs to stay up to date on all things related to your business. Furthermore, become an early adopter. When an innovation comes around that gets your attention, be the first to actually try it, and report your experience to your peers.
2. Be the voice of change in your workplace. By actively seeking out change and reading about industry innovations, you’ll effectively become your office’s subject matter expert. Inform others of new things on the rise, and educate them on what changes you believe will prove beneficial for your business. You can be the go-to source for forward thinking and people will come to you first when they have a question about change.
3. Master the people side of change.[1] It’s important to understand that not everyone will be as open to change as you are. For some, it’ll be much more of a challenge to adapt to new ways of thinking and operating. To combat this, foster open dialogue amongst your peers. Moreover, make yourself available. Communicate with employees, attend status meetings, and be present during all stages of change implementation. By being a team player, you’ll build a strong foundation of trust with your team.
In order to be taken seriously as a thought leader on change, you’ll need to build credibility. You can do so by gaining stakeholder support for ideas you want to bring into the office. Once your changes are implemented, it’s important to reinforce the new establishments. This can be done by asking for feedback on the changes and integrating suggestions from your team. Analyze whether the change is positively impacting your business and adjust accordingly.
Following these three simple but important practices will help lay a strong foundation for change at your organization and establish you as a knowledgeable and trusted Champion of Change. You’ll be well-positioned to help others learn to embrace change rather than fear it, and to eventually become a Champion of Change in their own right.
For more on effective change management, the benefits of change and creating positive outcomes through change, download our white paper- Harnessing the Power of Change.