One thing is a constant in life and in business – and that’s change. Building a resilient business and a mindset that sees the opportunity in a challenge and embraces the fluctuations of the market place can make or break your company. But change can be intimidating by its very nature, and it’s quite normal to find it daunting. So, how do you build the resilience on a personal and a strategic level to overcome changes?
Practice A Positive Attitude
Nurturing an optimistic attitude is one of the most important things that you can do – both in your own life and in setting the company culture. You have to train yourself and others to see change as natural and positive. A situation that you find yourself in might not be perfect, but it’s likely the old one wasn’t either. Learn to take a step back and critically evaluate shifts in your personal and working circumstances or in the wider macroenvironment. Think about how you can apply your skills, your network and your experience in order to get the most out of the situation.
Seek External Support
Depending on the scale of the change you’re facing, it may be a good idea to seek some external help. This can take many forms. If the change is to do with you as a leader, then finding a mentor can be a great move – it gives you someone to sense check with, bounce ideas off and encourage you to think about things from another perspective. If it’s a shift that the business needs to make, you may want to consider bringing in a consultancy with a change management expertise, such as Bourton Group. This can help to ensure that you have the correct procedures and compliance in place to handle a big shift.
Use Your Communication Skills
There is one very important thing to remember when it comes to any form of change, and that’s communication. Keeping people informed should be a priority, as any uncertainty naturally creates a void that quickly gets filled with speculation, misinformation and gossip. Work out who your key stakeholders are with a stakeholder mapping exercise, and then aim to draw up a communications plan that keeps everyone in the loop. The more you keep talking, the more engaged people are in the process and the end result, and having everyone bought into what your doing will determine its success.
Determine The Skills Gap
In a new scenario, new skills are going to be required. And whether it falls to you personally, or you have a wider team to support, you need to make skills and development a part of the strategy. Consider doing a skills audit to map out what internal resources you currently have and what you will need during the transitional period and after the change is complete. Think about how training will be delivered and what objectives you’ll need to keep in mind.
Change doesn’t have to be intimidating, if you apply a little foresight, some strategic thinking and a positive mental attitude. Knowing your business well and keeping an open mind – and taking people with you on that journey – will become a key business success.
- This post was written by an outside source – See Disclosure Policy
