“We want to grow.”   “We need to get better at…”   “It would be great if…”   “If only we could get this one thing…”   If this is you, a team you work with, or your entire org, keep reading.   We hear these types of statements a lot. For us, they are all just versions of “We need to change.” But what we don’t hear very often – “I can’t wait to change everything about the way I work!”  George Bernard Shaw said, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” Basically, if we want to improve, change is the only way to do it. But we resist change, and sometimes our minds are our biggest barrier. “Throwing a spanner in the works” is such a common phrase because a lot of times it is one person, or a small group of people, holding up change. If it’s hard to get a single person to change, it’s even harder to get a bunch of people to change! But we are here for the challenge anyway, so hang with us.   If we want to be great at what we do, we must first square our need to change with our resistance to it. Whether or not a company can change usually comes down to how they handle what’s called change management, which in our world means “How do you make this new thing part of your everyday life?”  We’ve worked with hundreds of customers across many industries to solve exactly that problem. Even in metals now, we’ve seen some things, and we like to think what we learned along the way is still applicable and highly relevant. Whether it’s finding more automation on the shop floor, modernizing a quoting process, or leaning into ecommerce, the most effective organizations follow these steps to create meaningful change: 

1. Define and communicate the vision in clear terms.

This first step is a critical one in building buy-in. Your organization has goals and a strategy to get there. Show your teams how the change aligns with the broader organizational goals and highlight market trends to leverage a sense of urgency, if needed. Use data, stories, or scenarios that underline the importance of your change and the potential negative consequences of inaction. Making sure your teams understand the benefits as well and “what’s in it for them” will help begin building the foundation for buy-in. Spend time here being intentional, and say it, say it again, and say what you said.  

2. Build your “change” team early and train them.

Select a diverse group of influencers from different levels and departments who are respected and can lead by example and do it early on. You can significantly increase buy-in by getting key stakeholders aligned as soon as possible. Ensure your change team includes those who are adaptable, open to new ideas, and can drive the change forward. This team should be representative of the organization’s various functions to ensure buy-in across the board. Train these leaders in change management principles and equip them with the necessary resources to champion the change. Change often requires new skills and adoption of new processes, so give them the runway they need to work out the kinks before expansion. With them bought in and executing, you are enhancing their ability to see success beyond this core team.  

3. Communicate often and expand support intentionally. 

Develop a comprehensive communication plan that includes regular updates and two-way feedback channels. Empathize with employees by considering their perspectives and addressing their concerns, presenting the change as a collaborative effort that benefits them personally and professionally. Encourage input and suggestions to foster a sense of ownership and create feedback loops to gather insights and make necessary adjustments. Ensure that everyone understands the change process, the rationale behind it, and their specific roles in its implementation. Encourage input and suggestions from employees to foster a sense of ownership and participation. Beyond intentional feedback loops, here are some additional tactical considerations: 

1. Address resistant proactively. There is no need to ignore it or see it as negative, when you can use it as an opportunity to engage and understand. Listen with the goal of understanding, provide any relevant information to alleviate fear or uncertainty, and involve them as much as possible in the process. 
2. Own adoption friction and known roadblocks for rollout. Conduct a thorough analysis to identify potential obstacles, such as resource constraints, resistance from certain groups, or conflicting priorities. Develop contingency plans to address these challenges. Engage with stakeholders to understand their concerns and work collaboratively to find solutions. Regularly review and update your assessment of roadblocks to stay proactive in mitigating risks. 
3. Create short-term goals and focus on smaller sprints. Think about working in timeboxes of 2 weeks or less and break your plan into steps you can achieve in the shorter timeline. Set specific, achievable milestones that can be completed within a two-week timeframe. These short-term goals should contribute to the overall change initiative and provide a sense of progress. Use these milestones to maintain focus, build momentum, and celebrate small wins. Adjust the plan as needed based on the outcomes of these short-term goals and recognize that effective change is a series of small successful changes moving you forward.  

4. Maintain momentum and celebrate your wins publicly. 

You can maintain a forward motion by continuously reinforcing the importance of the change through regular communications, reminders, and updates. Recognize and reward incremental progress to keep the team motivated. Use data and metrics to show the ongoing benefits and impact of the change. Encourage leaders and managers to actively support and advocate for your initiative in their daily interactions with employees. Finally, publicly acknowledge and celebrate milestones and achievements related to the change initiative. Use various platforms to share success stories and highlight the contributions of individuals and teams. Organize events or activities to commemorate significant milestones. Celebrating success helps to build a positive atmosphere, reinforces the benefits of your new efforts, and encourages continued commitment from everyone involved.  Saying change is hard is an understatement. Humans are literally hard-wired to resist it, and they usually act like it. It takes patience, determination, and grit to make organizational changes, but the results are transformative. Change will be our only constant and how it gets done will be the deciding factor on the companies that stick around for another 100 years. We believe in you and know with intentional steps like the ones mentioned here, you can be a part of that elite group who is building more than a business. They are building a legacy, and they engaged in effective change to do it.