How to drive workplace change like a champion

Launching and implementing a new change successfully requires details and plans — and while we are heavily focused on the process, we never forget the people.  

The time has finally arrived to sell the change! For our emotional intelligence (EI), it’s about leveraging our motivation and drive.

This is the step that most leaders usually nail when it comes to change. However, they do tend to jump straight to this step, missing the first two steps (owning and facing the loss associated with the change, and feeling and asking through the liminal space), which results in a lack of buy-in and success in the change.

Driving change like a champion is broken down into three areas:

Have a project plan 

It still shocks me how many workplaces roll out major change without a project plan.

Every project, regardless of the size, requires a plan. It’s not so much for the actual project outcome; it’s for the process of driving the change.

It doesn’t always need to be a massive 20-page project document with endless appendices and attachments. It can be as simple as having a documented who, what, when, how and why. We need to be extremely clear on the purpose and steps of the implementation.

Ask for a copy of the project plan and if there isn’t one, create a basic guide for yourself so you are prepared with questions at the implementation stage.

The EI process is also a great way to lay out the project plan and ensure you have EI covered at the same time:

• Own It: What is the current state, or way, in which we do/use whatever it is that is changing? What value will the change bring? On a scale of 1 to 10, how far are we from this new initiative?
• Face It: What are the potential emotions, limitations and blockages that could impact the successful implementation of this change?
• Feel It: What is my role in this intent? What can I specifically do to endorse and support this intent?
• Ask It: What communications are required to progress and implement?
• Drive It: What are the actions to bring this to life and what are the first steps?

Put people before process 

The response and progress that people make should always trump the project plan.

Don’t get so attached to the project plan that it becomes the law and regardless of how people are responding just stick straight to your schedule. We can have the best laid plans, but people are complex creatures!

We make plans based on assumptions of how we think they will work and what we think people require from us. We don’t always get these assumptions right.

Read the room! Be aware and observant of how people are coping. Identify what stage of the EI process each person is at and what they require to move forward to the next stage. Ask:

• Are they looping in their own head and have they not faced their emotions completely?
• Are they digging their head in the sand and not owning the reality of the situation?
• Has something been identified in the Feel It stage that wasn’t considered and will make a big impact that requires risk mitigation before proceeding?

If any of these questions mean the change needs to pause or the project plan requires alterations, then do it! The people are far more important than the process. Without the people, the process is completely irrelevant.

Involve and engage 

We naturally care more about things that we have an emotional connection with. Anything that has caused us to think and respond with an emotion creates a form of memory in our mind and therefore an emotional connection.

Get your team as involved as possible. Certainly don’t force it upon them, but have a chat to find out how involved they want to be. We can also involve people without them having to do anything, by simply keeping them in the loop or asking for their thoughts, ideas or feedback.

Monitor the engagement, not just by what people are saying, but what people are doing. Address any concerns as they arise and continue to check in on their engagement throughout this stage.

Most importantly, create a celebration, some excitement around the shiny new toy. Something for people to look forward to or feel hopeful about. The less it looks like a

process and the more connection and drive the change has, the greater the chance of a successful implementation and outcome.

A new leader will naturally impact the culture. Hit this full on with a celebration. Create some type of welcome for the new leader, a chance for the team to bond and get to know each other. Let them decide what this looks like. Support them to find their synergies and opportunities. Have some fun!

Written by Amy Jacobson.
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