Your business will end if you don’t change it.
Ouch.
This is a bold statement that reveals a profound truth. Your business must change in order to be viable.
As you adapt to small shifts, such as the changing needs of customers for a product or service, your productivity will increase.
It is essential to keep your customers informed of changes in the wider world. There may be more players in your market. The business world is changing. A profit economy is not the best way to go. Fortune 500 companies are falling at an increasing rate. The impact economy is where businesses that are concerned about the well-being and growth of all stakeholders thrive and prosper.
If you delay making the necessary changes, significant change may be required. This is not the position you want, slowing change until it’s done or die. Wouldn’t it be better to let change be your choice? Let’s try this gently.
Let’s take a look at how you can make your boss a leader by working with others to change.
1. Your essentials are the key to your impact.
How can you make a difference in the world? Second, because business is an integral part of our lives and not the opposite, what effect does your business want to make? These are the core questions that will guide you in implementing change within your business.
2. Encourage your team members to become active contributors.
It is not possible to achieve the promised land by yourself. Your team is essential to your success. This includes your staff (in-house and virtual), your suppliers, who can help with the creative aspects of the change, as well as your support teams, such as a coach, consultant, or other professional. You need to gain their understanding and their commitment. You’ll find collaborators to help you navigate the rewards and challenges of this journey.
3. Communicate your goals.
Your team is side 1. One time I worked for a company that was going through significant changes. Senior leaders believed employees should only be informed what they needed. We found out the hard way. We didn’t hear it from the people who were leading the change, which made us feel less trusted as adults and was a deterrent to creativity and encouragement. This secrecy resulted in the loss of many very talented people and dissatisfaction among us. This is not a good environment to implement significant changes.
Instead, communicate what you know. Describe your vision. You must consider people, the human side of things. Encourage and trust people to do constructive, grown-up things. They will be there for you.
Communication can also be done outside your company. Customers may be confused by the information. Where is the company that I have trusted for so many years? What’s happening? It’s crucial to communicate to these customers your vision of where the company is heading and how they will benefit from it.
It’s intelligent and decent to inform them if you are making a shift in your focus so they won’t have access to the products or services that they desire. If possible, help them to find an alternative. Let them know that they dealt with a great company with integrity and best interests in mind.
Prospective customers will be more inclined to buy from you if you clearly articulate the company’s goals. People want to understand what they are buying.
4. Ask for help.
Ask for help if your team is in need. What members of your network could help you and support you? How many additional staff will you need to accomplish this portion of the transformation?
Ask for suggestions if you need additional revenue in order to complete the next phase of the change. It is possible to get help in many ways, so it pays to be open to receiving it.
5. Learn the cycle of change.
Change doesn’t happen in a straight line. Understanding what you can expect will make it easier to accept and lead change. Martha Beck, the sociologist, and best-selling author, describes a 4-square approach to change.
Death and rebirth (literally Square One – The beginning of your new company’s life)
Dreaming and scheming (new opportunities and ideas you didn’t see before you made this change)
The hero’s tale (the practical nuts-and-bolts, trial-and-error as you navigate the new landscape).
The Promised Land (tweaking, minor adjustments, and tending to the new order).
6. Be open to change.
Resistance to change can take many forms. Leaders can be tempted by the lure of ‘knowing it all. It’s like saying, “I know what we should do.” This front, as with all things, can be precious when used correctly. You’re constantly challenged during times of change. Your thinking and your methods of doing things. Accept criticisms from others to help you move forward. Accept what is offered, rather than dismissing what is possible to be correct.
Accept complete discussion of all possible options. Change can be difficult. It is easy to rush into making quick decisions and not consider the consequences. Make this change success by weighing your options and taking the time to consider them before you take action.
7. Your vision is the most important thing.
Every day, visualize the future of your new business. It’s going to be there for you: to guide and help you navigate through difficult times and to allow you to communicate with others where you are going. Make sure you have a clear statement that summarizes it so that you can shine a light in others’ eyes.
8. Be an example.
Changes in your business require you to make changes. You are not the CEO you will be after these changes. To lead your revitalized and thriving business, you will need to adapt, grow and become the person you want to be.
Here’s a question you can ask when faced with the challenges that change brings: What quality would I get to this situation? This can help you identify the qualities that will be most helpful to you.
Your team will need to change, grow, and shift. Your example will help them inspire and guide others.
9. Be realistic.
Realize how much you can accomplish with the changes that you make while still running the business every day. You don’t have to push the boundaries and take inspired action when necessary.
Be realistic about your team. Do they have the right people to help you during and after the change? Others may not.
Be realistic about your costs and available resources. Keep track of your cash flow and finances so that you are aware of what is happening each day, or at the most weekly. Ask yourself if you have the right people and tools to accomplish what you want.
10. Mourn your losses.
Your company is changing, and it will soon be gone. People you love may move on. This can be very sad. It is normal to grieve the loss of something important to you.
It’s better to acknowledge and feel your grief than hide it. The way feelings can pop up is like a whack a mole. They will return to you, sometimes in places you don’t want or expect.
However, pain is an inner job that depends on your beliefs. Be mindful of your losses before you plunge down a rabbit hole. They are normal during changes. Ask yourself if you would do it differently. Then, learn from your mistakes and move on.
For any business, change is not easy or straightforward. It’s messy and complicated. It’s rare that things work out perfectly the first time.
It’s essential, but it can be gratifying for both you and your employees.
It is your job to inspire change and not manage it. It’s what you do that makes all the difference between success and failure and the impact you have.
With more impact than ever, the promised land is waiting.
Ursula Jorch, a speaker and business coach, helps entrepreneurs build a business that makes a positive impact on the world. Ursula Jorch, a 21-year-old successful entrepreneur, allows entrepreneurs to define their purpose and create strategy and marketing to increase their impact.