It’s often said that the one constant in business is change. Market conditions, regulatory amendments, the wider economy, technology … all of these can change, often rapidly and without warning, and require a business to adapt in order to survive, never mind thrive.
While we can’t always foresee what will happen, we can be pretty confident something will! And we can run our businesses in such a way that whatever changes might have an impact, we can pivot as needed and maintain an advantage over competitors.
Here Are Five Ways You Can Facilitate Success
1. Keep The Communication Lines Open
This should probably be first in pretty much any list of things relating to people.
Change is unsettling, and if you don’t provide people with accurate information about what is changing, when and why, you can be sure the Rumour Control will swing into operation and fill the gap. Getting the truth out once that has happened can be challenging and you could lose good people because of uncertainty or the false narrative.
Keep people informed about things as a matter of course. Regular team updates allow people to feel included.
Keep people involved. Encourage feedback, especially when something new is introduced, and seek opinion if anything is being investigated and considered. At GreenStones we encourage new ideas and track what we implement each month.
Make sure information is available on a secure network, for example, the staff intranet. Having that information visible to all team members will eradicate rumours and keep communication open. That said, the importance of talking directly to team members cannot be understated.
2. Actively Encourage Team Members To Adopt A Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is more than being flexible and positive, and trusting good will come of that. (Although we’re not knocking the concepts of flexibility and positivity!)
Psychologist Carol Dweck first explained the idea of a growth versus a fixed mindset in people over twenty years ago. Those with a growth mindset believe their talents can be improved, through hard work and training, for example. Those with a fixed mindset believe talents are innate gifts.
Growth-mindset actions include sharing information, collaborating, innovating, seeking feedback and admitting errors, and cultivating a culture that values and encourages these behaviours is a worthwhile exercise.
People who work for growth-mindset companies report feeling empowered and committed.
At GreenStones we have created a storyboard of the values we stand for and follow.
Team members at GreenStones are encouraged to help foster innovation. We do this by generating ideas, tracking learning points and completing monthly development activities. All of these things give our team members the chance to implement their ideas, collaborate, grow as a team, and learn new skills.
3. Stay Up To Date And Proactive
If you can’t see what is on the horizon, you will always be on the back foot.
Make sure you and your team stay up to date with news about the industry and the market. Keep on top of economic and regulatory decisions and changes. Stay abreast of emerging technology.
You can take a proactive stance too. Go to conferences and networking events, join relevant business groups and communities, carry out market research.
These sorts of activities keep you informed and allow you to gain insights into what might be headed your way. That knowledge can allow you to jump rather than be pushed and turn a possible disadvantage into competitive advantage.
4. Invest In The Future
When it comes to things like technology, don’t always buy the bare minimum required, and don’t wait for things to creak and break before you replace them. Have a planned programme for updating things like hardware and software.
And don’t stop with the essentials. Investigate extras, like data analytics, automated systems and processes and brand new tech.
Technology drives change in most sectors. This kind of involvement, investment and innovation will help you stay competitive.
5. Monitor, Measure, Learn And Adapt
In order to judge whether a change is or was successful, some kind of monitoring is required. You need to know where you started, where you are going, and where you are now and if necessary, you must be able to course-correct.
In practice, that involves setting objectives, establishing key performance indicators (KPIs), and collecting data and feedback. The picture revealed will let you know how things are going and give you the opportunity to make any necessary adjustments.
Here at GreenStones we measure KPIs using One-Page Plans.
Summary
Taking positive, proactive steps where change is concerned – to stay informed, to be able to plan rather than react – puts your business in a stronger position. Keeping team members informed, and facilitating and encouraging a growth mindset, can amplify your chances of success.
While you might soon see results as you start to make changes like this, this approach isn’t a quick fix. It’s about establishing a culture that allows for long-term growth and success, even in the face of often unexpected change. Change is inevitable and finding ways which can help you learn to manage change can be extremely beneficial. That’s why at GreenStones we encourage all of our new starters to read Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson. This book helps you deal with changes in both your work and personal life. Let us know what you think of it.