Can You Effect Big Changes By Making Small Ones?

Change management is a process of carefully implemented, consistent change where the groundwork is laid earlier to prepare employees for the necessity of embracing new systems and processes that will ultimately benefit them and the company in the long term.

Big versus small

A small change such as the reorganisation of an office or an upgrade of IT systems may be quite easily accepted but problems can arise when a “big one” is implemented; especially if it involves the reassignment of roles or even redundancy. In events such as these – companies are very likely to meet with resistance.

Small versus big

Resistance may be ultimately futile, but it can cause very real problems and is a hurdle that needs to be sensitively and constructively overcome in order to minimize stress and disruption. Add in other common hurdles such as a lack of training and/or the Silo mentality of individual departments and it quickly becomes clear that affecting any change management program can be a daunting process and one that is full of minefields. Change consultants can help with this process, but the answer is to tread carefully and view it as a step by step journey across unfamiliar terrain where small changes quickly turn into big ones where changes are accepted and assimilated almost subconsciously, and the destination reached before you know it.

Think big, act small

You may have a big vision for your business but ultimately it is your employees that will help realise this vision so resist the urge to get too passionate and foist changes on people that are not really ready to accept your goals. Small changes can start with just a simple increase in communication. Talking about possible changes, holding meetings and encouraging debate by using a staff forum to air views will mean that staff will begin to take to one another and as word spreads – people will naturally begin to become acclimatized to change being in the air.

Encourage respect

Operating an open-door policy will invite employees to speak to their managers where two way communications without fear of reprisal becomes an engaging and constructive process where everyone feels as though they have a voice and all opinions are taking into account. This information can then be passed up and down the chain of command to be used as constructive feedback. Any decisions made by management may still not prove to be universally popular but respect and acceptance (albeit initially grudging) should soon give way to feeling as though everyone has got on board.

Softly, slowly

The Neuroscience of leadership by David Rock and Jeffrey Schwartz recommends that “large-scale behavior change requires a large-scale change in mental maps”. A change management specialist will advise that employees therefore need to re-orient themselves mentally to fit into a new work structure and this takes time but it is time well spent as to go slow will ultimately mean that the change, ironically; goes faster.