challenge of change

Review parts 1 through 15 for details and thinking, then utilize the Recipe for Change.

Part 12 – Transition

Three key words – transition, change, and implementation -w from the Leader to Leader Institute: Leading Transition: A New Model for Change. Have you ever barked and order, “Just do it”? And what are you supposed to do when they just don’t do it – when your people do not make the changes that you need to be made?

The first key word comes to mind is “transition”. It is an internal psychological reorientation that people have to go through before change can take place. Transition is not a timed event. It happens much more slowly than change. We must first work on the way people think about what we have asked them to change.

Transition has three steps: Step 1 is saying goodbye to the old way of doing it.  Step 2 is shifting into neutral after letting go of the old ways, despite not having begun the new ways yet. Step 3 is moving forward when new behavior starts to take over and change is now beginning to work.

We must attend to transition or the change will collapse.

The Recipe for Change

When you’re baking a cake, there are certain ingredients that are necessary for the cake to come out as planned. You need to follow a step by step procedure. Include all portions as described, mix as indicated, then cook for the optimum time and temperature. Any variation from the recipe may cause an incomplete and utter disaster! If you don’t follow the recipe, you will not get the results you were expecting.

When you’re leading your company and staff through change, a recipe would be very helpful, so here it is:

1. You must be totally committed to the change (1 gallon)
2. It must be well defined and written (1 pint)
3. You must be willing to accept the push back and resistance (1 quart)
4. Create the WHY story to sell to sell your staff (Five Pounds)
5. Talk to them one-on-one (1 Tablespoon)
6. Give them time to adjust mentally to the change (Let Marinate 1 week)
7. Let them express their feelings (Snap-Crackle-Pop)
8. Set a rollout date for the change to occur (Cook Time 10 Days)
9. Have many training sessions before rollout (Mixing steps)
10. Establish the change as a habit (Tasting the results)

This is a quick and simple recipe for change. Follow the ingredients and steps, and see what results you will achieve. Review parts 1 through 15 for more details and thinking.

Management is the formula.

Leadership is the essential catalyst.

You are the stick that stirs the ingredients.

Review parts 1 through 15 for details and thinking, then utilize the Recipe for Change.

Part 11 – A New Model for Change

Change isn’t optional. It is essential. Why can’t things stay the same? Why do we have to change? How can we make change fun? What hangs up change?

I have been reading an article written by Leader to Leader Institute called “Leading Transition: A New Model for Change.” Change is nothing new to leaders. We understand by now that organizations cannot be just endlessly “managed,” replicating yesterday’s practices to achieve success. Business conditions change and yesterday’s assumptions and practices no longer work. There must be innovation, and innovation means change.

Yet the thousands of books, seminars, and consulting engagements purporting to help “manage change” often fall short. These tools tend to neglect the dynamics of personal and organizational transition that can determine the outcome of any change effort.  As a result, they fail to address the leader’s need to coach others through the transition process. They also fail to acknowledge the fact that leaders themselves need coaching before they can effectively coach others.

Wouldn’t it be nice to say “Do it this way now”, and everyone jumps on board and gets the job done. There would be zero pushback, no odd stares, no deer in the headlight looks, no frowns on their faces – just good old fashioned “yes we can” action.

Yes, we need a system to follow through the transition to change!

That’s what’s missing – a system!

The Recipe for Change

When you’re baking a cake, there are certain ingredients that are necessary for the cake to come out as planned. You need to follow a step by step procedure. Include all portions as described, mix as indicated, then cook for the optimum time and temperature. Any variation from the recipe may cause an incomplete and utter disaster! If you don’t follow the recipe, you will not get the results you were expecting.

When you’re leading your company and staff through change, a recipe would be very helpful, so here it is:

1. You must be totally committed to the change (1 gallon)
2. It must be well defined and written (1 pint)
3. You must be willing to accept the push back and resistance (1 quart)
4. Create the WHY story to sell to sell your staff (Five Pounds)
5. Talk to them one-on-one (1 Tablespoon)
6. Give them time to adjust mentally to the change (Let Marinate 1 week)
7. Let them express their feelings (Snap-Crackle-Pop)
8. Set a rollout date for the change to occur (Cook Time 10 Days)
9. Have many training sessions before rollout (Mixing steps)
10. Establish the change as a habit (Tasting the results)

This is a quick and simple recipe for change. Follow the ingredients and steps, and see what results you will achieve. Review parts 1 through 15 for more details and thinking.

Management is the formula.

Leadership is the essential catalyst.

You are the stick that stirs the ingredients.

Review parts 1 through 15 for details and thinking, then utilize the Recipe for Change.

Part 10 – Stay Focused

Golfer Playing on Beautiful Golf Course

Getting focused is an essential key to making change happen. Here is a story that may illustrate the concept of focus, written by Bill Crowder.

I enjoy playing golf, so I occasionally watch instructional videos or read magazines. One such video, however, left me disappointed. The teacher presented a golf swing that had at least 8 steps and a dozen sub-points under each step. That was too much information!

While I’m not a great golfer, years of playing have taught me this. The more thoughts you have in your head as you swing, the less likely you are to be successful. You must simplify your thought process and focus on what matters most-making a solid contact with the ball. The instructor’s many points got in the way.

In golf, as in life and business change, we must focus on what matters most.

When you are taking people through change, focus on the large view, not all the small pieces first. Take the 40,000 foot view, and hit the main highlights first.

Make sure the main thing remain the main thing. Don’t get caught up in the fine details until the large pieces have become habits. Then you can come in and fine tune the change.

For example, you may desire to start using scripts to answer the phone and sell work to your customers. Start basic, get the big picture, then fill in the details once you feel the buy in.

The bottom line is STAY FOCUSED on the BIG PICTURE, not all the details, in the beginning.

The Recipe for Change

When you’re baking a cake, there are certain ingredients that are necessary for the cake to come out as planned. You need to follow a step by step procedure. Include all portions as described, mix as indicated, then cook for the optimum time and temperature. Any variation from the recipe may cause an incomplete and utter disaster! If you don’t follow the recipe, you will not get the results you were expecting.

When you’re leading your company and staff through change, a recipe would be very helpful, so here it is:

1. You must be totally committed to the change (1 gallon)
2. It must be well defined and written (1 pint)
3. You must be willing to accept the push back and resistance (1 quart)
4. Create the WHY story to sell to sell your staff (Five Pounds)
5. Talk to them one-on-one (1 Tablespoon)
6. Give them time to adjust mentally to the change (Let Marinate 1 week)
7. Let them express their feelings (Snap-Crackle-Pop)
8. Set a rollout date for the change to occur (Cook Time 10 Days)
9. Have many training sessions before rollout (Mixing steps)
10. Establish the change as a habit (Tasting the results)

This is a quick and simple recipe for change. Follow the ingredients and steps, and see what results you will achieve. Review parts 1 through 15 for more details and thinking.

Management is the formula.

Leadership is the essential catalyst.

You are the stick that stirs the ingredients.

Review parts 1 through 15 for details and thinking, then utilize the Recipe for Change.

Part 9 – Profit Protector

Remember the Pocket Protectors from the past? Perhaps you are not old enough, so let me explain. They were made of plastic and would slide inside of your shirt pocket. When you slipped your pens and screw drivers in and out of the pockets protector it kept your shirt from getting ink stained or torn. They simply protected your pockets from wear and tear. Very handy devices from the past. Does anyone still use them?

I want to introduce a new protector call a “Profit Protector”. It is designed to insure profits for you business.

Here are a few questions to gather your thoughts:

• What day of the month does your business break even?
• Do you track your CODB (Monthly cost of doing business)?
• Do you track your daily gross profit dollars?
• Are you stacking up cash?
• Do you have sufficient working capital? (3 times monthly sales)
• Do you have sufficient reserve money? (6 times CODB)

Back in 1992 we required a gross profit of 42% to make money. In the year 2011, it required 61% to make money. Are you a student of your profit? Are you as student of your CODB?

Become a Profit Protector!

Would you like to join the club?

The Recipe for Change

When you’re baking a cake, there are certain ingredients that are necessary for the cake to come out as planned. You need to follow a step by step procedure. Include all portions as described, mix as indicated, then cook for the optimum time and temperature. Any variation from the recipe may cause an incomplete and utter disaster! If you don’t follow the recipe, you will not get the results you were expecting.

When you’re leading your company and staff through change, a recipe would be very helpful, so here it is:

1. You must be totally committed to the change (1 gallon)
2. It must be well defined and written (1 pint)
3. You must be willing to accept the push back and resistance (1 quart)
4. Create the WHY story to sell to sell your staff (Five Pounds)
5. Talk to them one-on-one (1 Tablespoon)
6. Give them time to adjust mentally to the change (Let Marinate 1 week)
7. Let them express their feelings (Snap-Crackle-Pop)
8. Set a rollout date for the change to occur (Cook Time 10 Days)
9. Have many training sessions before rollout (Mixing steps)
10. Establish the change as a habit (Tasting the results)

This is a quick and simple recipe for change. Follow the ingredients and steps, and see what results you will achieve. Review parts 1 through 15 for more details and thinking.

Management is the formula.

Leadership is the essential catalyst.

You are the stick that stirs the ingredients.