THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | 47
"Usually change occurs alongside the day job and it’s important not to lose focus on delivering great services to your customers"
is stretched. Try to avoid large changes at these times. If they can’t be avoided, can they be phased? Use your feedback Change Champions telling you everyone is exhausted, key performance indicators starting to slip or an increase in absence / complaints are all red flags. Can you slow down, remove anything or simply rearticulate ‘the why’? As these are all things you can do to help keep everything on track. Communicate, communicate, communicate Consider the variety of stakeholders that could be impacted by the change you’re working on. These groups could include: l front-end users l other departments or the wider business l senior leaders l external customers. While different stakeholders may need different levels of detail or tone, all will be interested in what’s happening and how it impacts them. Does it bring them benefits? Tell them what they are. Will it impact levels of service? Tell them what to expect. Will
it change who they need to contact going forward? Tell them what they need to know. Keeping all stakeholders informed in the language best suited to them means they understand that the business is going through change, and that things might be a little different from time to time. Already told them? Tell them again. Everyone is busy and things can get lost in the ether. In my experience, I think I’ve communicated clearly and it’s never enough. Tell them again. Use different methods, direct communications, intranet, meetings, newsletters or skywriting. Maybe that last one is a step too far! Celebrate all the successes, even the small ones Influencing change is hard. It’s very rewarding when you get to that magical end goal, but the journey can be arduous, frustrating and tiring. Which is why celebrating successes is important. I’m not talking about popping
champagne or having a team lunch for every milestone achieved but instead taking time to pause and reflect at a task well done. Pat yourself on the back, recognise the people who have contributed. A public shout out, thank you or well done will go a long way in keeping the momentum going as you strive for the magical end goal. And don’t forget those who've kept the wheels turning while others are focussing on building something shiny and new. They’re essential in keeping the lights on, the payroll running or the rewards rewarding.
Amy Rippin
Organisational Development Manager, Housing 21
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