Your company is about to launch a change program and you have been entrusted with leading it. The first thing that comes to mind is: “What now and where do I start?” In this post, you’ll find helpful tips to start your journey and avoid common pitfalls.

Start with the question “Why?”

While you may feel the urge to start planning and hit the ground running, it’s worth the time and effort to figure out why your organization wants to embark on this journey. Without a solid foundation, even the most carefully planned steps can fall short of the expected outcome. Possible reasons range from increasing growth or efficiency, tapping untapped potential, to responding to external market forces. Keep asking key stakeholders the “why” until you are sure you have arrived at the real reasons for launching the initiative. And remember that different people may have different, sometimes even contradictory, ideas of “why”.

Define a clear vision for the future

The next step is to formulate a clear vision that anticipates an achieved future state, sometimes referred to as the “North Star”. This vision must be so clear and inspiring that as many stakeholders as possible want to join you on the path to this future. The more vividly you can articulate this future state, the more likely employees will be willing to do so – “increasing profitability by x%” is unlikely to be convincing enough. Then ask some critical questions: Is a comprehensive transformation really necessary, or will targeted “surgical” measures suffice? Is the organization ready for this, or are certain prerequisites necessary first? Are we really talking about a transformation or is it just another restructuring?

Form a strong transformation team

Some companies have a clear vision, but underestimate the scope, effort and determination required for effective change. The spectrum of topics ranges from people and culture to processes and technology. With a strong “Transformation Office”, it is possible to stay on course in the long term, even if adjustments to the program are may be necessary based on the insights gained. The remit of a transformation office goes far beyond the typical planning, monitoring and reporting functions of a conventional PMO. It should be staffed with strong personalities who are able to drive change, engage with managers and employees and are not afraid to take bold steps. Ensure diversity in every aspect of this team and be brave enough to include some “troublemakers” within the organization. The last thing you need for successful change is uniformity.

Create a transformation ecosystem

A solid internal and external ecosystem will support and drive your change efforts. Above all, a network of internal change agents and champions is crucial. If they are truly engaged, they will drive the relevant issues across different areas of the organization, inspire others to change and propagate new ways of thinking. Also consider working with external consultants, technology providers or industry experts. Although change must come from within an organization, external expertise and resources can significantly accelerate the transformation process, close specific gaps and also be helpful in challenging the status quo with a largely unbiased view.

Communicate, share and engage

Collaboration and knowledge sharing within the organization are critical to sustainable success. Take the time to develop a comprehensive strategy on how to keep everyone informed and involved throughout the process. Regular updates, townhall meetings, workshops and other interactive channels are much more effective than the glossy brochures and colorful change posters that are always produced. Creating a forum in which uncomfortable questions can be asked and answered transparently and without management jargon requires courage but promotes acceptance and commitment. And don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t have a perfect answer to a critical question if you don’t have one. This strengthens your credibility and helps to build trust.

Focus on people, leadership and culture

For a successful transformation, it is important to focus on the people and culture in the company and ensure that employees are given the skills they need for the future. Investing in employee development and providing the necessary resources and training is critical to success. Leaders at all levels who lead by example, model desired behaviors and actively engage with employees throughout the process are critical to cultural change. Only a few instances of inconsistent leadership behavior can be a huge and lasting setback. Why should employees adopt new practices and behaviors if they don’t seem important to the leadership team, or if their noncompliance is tolerated?

Expect and welcome resistance

Resistance to change is a natural reaction, especially if you move further and further away from the status quo over time. Don’t ignore or condemn the “naysayers” and critical voices. They can offer helpful perspectives and help you recognize pitfalls that you may have overlooked in your enthusiasm. You should also not underestimate the role of emotions when it comes to accepting change. Resistance can indicate that the transformation has reached a certain point and people recognize that it will affect the way they work, taking them out of their comfort zone. Even if they are unhappy with the status quo and constantly complain about it, some people may still prefer it to an unknown and uncertain future. Understanding this can help you deal with resistance as it arises.

Make continuous learning and innovation the norm

Change is a journey, not a destination – it’s not the time it takes, but the scale and impact of a transformation that matters. Rather than stubbornly executing an originally agreed plan, it’s about managing complexity through continuous learning and adaptation. This does not mean that the vision or main pillars of the program should be completely redefined on an ongoing basis. However, new perspectives often arise that must not be ignored just to achieve the milestones originally set. The foundations for an agile and learning organization can already be laid within the transformation program. Innovation should be embedded in all phases of the transformation process in order to encourage creativity and experimentation and give employees the opportunity to contribute new ideas and solutions. This also includes having the courage to experiment and accepting failures as an opportunity to learn.

Use technology and innovation as a lever

Technology can be an important lever in the transformation of companies. However, it alone will not transform your company in the long term, which is why this point is at the end of the list. Technology can help you streamline processes, increase efficiency and gain valuable insights to make better decisions. However, do not confuse the use of tools and the digitalization of processes with a “digital transformation”. This is when “digital” has fundamentally changed the culture and DNA of a company.

Conclusion

Starting a transformation is a challenge, especially if you have never led such an undertaking before. In the beginning, it is important to define and communicate a clear vision, put together a strong team and prepare for the involvement of all stakeholders. And then you should be ready to embark on a journey of constant learning, peppered with many obstacles.