Leading Change

As an entrepreneur or business leader, you encounter a variety of obstacles, including economic volatility, new workplace models, and the “quiet quitting” movement, among others. As soon as one problem is resolved, another arises, making overcoming these obstacles appear formidable. Hence, the need for change.

It’s challenging not to consider Brexit as a prime example of how to implement change poorly while thinking about the complexities of doing it properly. In the June 2016 Brexit vote, which determined how the United Kingdom will interact with the European Union going forward, 52% of voters chose to leave, while 48% chose to stay. The substantial difference in opinions revealed a critical weakness in the transformation process: no attempts were made to persuade the 48% that leaving may be successful. More details about this change is found in the KAIZEN book by Winston Brown.

Interestingly, three things are necessary for successful change: a clear vision, a workable plan, and most importantly, a shared commitment to change. More importantly, our habit is also an important factor when it comes to leading change.

Small Changes Lead to Big Results

Consider that your biases and belief systems are also influenced by your routines. For instance, our experience of the world is determined by what we are accustomed to considering. If, for instance, you regularly tell yourself that you are worthless and will never be a great leader, you will have that experience of the world. However, if you have a habit of telling yourself you’re great, you will have that experience.

So, what does this all mean to you? When we recognize how essential habits are to everything we do and think, and when we acknowledge that habits are also the propelling force behind our teams, we can begin assisting ourselves, our people, and our organizations in implementing the positive changes that lead to success.

Implement a Change strategy based on habits

Changing from a knowledge-based to a habit-based strategy is the first step in creating positive changes. Keep in mind that we operate on patterns, not knowledge, so this is vital.

Forget about attempting to verbally convince others to act or think differently. Give up the notion that increased knowledge will result in different outcomes. If knowledge alone were sufficient, we would all walk 10,000 steps and consume five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. However, this is not occurring. Why? Since knowledge-based strategies are ineffective.

A habit-based strategy instrument focuses on the routines of individuals. Recognizing the significance of employing this type of strategy (as opposed to a knowledge-based one) is the first and most fundamental step to organizational and leadership success.

To implement change anywhere, you will need to building “Habit Power” planning process. To accomplish this, you will need to contemplate. Do you and your employees realize, for instance, that we can only make one small change at a time when it comes to altering our behavior? Or, have you connected your personal motivation for forming a new habit to a larger, more meaningful objective in your life? What about your individuals? Are their objectives aligned with those of their team and the organization? Do they comprehend and believe in the team’s and organization’s larger objectives?

These types of queries can help you evaluate how effectively you are “unblocking the blockers.” If your answers disclose that what you’re doing isn’t working, you can quickly and effectively adjust your strategies to instill in yourself and your team more productive habits.

The Three Essential Elements of Successful Change

Change doesn’t materialize on its own. It requires a vision, a plan, and unwavering determination shared by all involved parties. Businesses are always looking for ways to streamline their operations, boost efficiency, and benefit their stakeholders.

In particular during disruptive events like economic collapse, technological advancements, or natural disasters, these adjustments are crucial to building a healthy workplace and successful company. Therefore, in a market that is continuously changing, change management is the greatest method to keep your company on course.

Change is commonplace in our society and inevitable in businesses. Making adjustments to an organization’s mission, culture, structure, and procedures in response to current or projected environmental changes is known as change. In turbulent, uncertain, complex, and confusing circumstances, it can also promote prosperity and growth.

In our personal growth journey, we’ve explored defining our life purpose and addressed behaviors that may hinder our progress. Now, we shift focus to making lifestyle and career changes necessary for achieving our life goals. This involves meticulous planning and preparation, key to avoiding the pitfalls that derail many projects.

Define Objectives

Change, whether personal or on a grand scale like Brexit, requires clear objectives. Just as you wouldn’t attempt to devour an elephant whole, tackling life goals all at once leads to overwhelm and eventual abandonment. Instead, we must break down our ambitions into manageable steps.

Consider where you currently stand, where you want to be, and the sequential actions necessary to bridge the gap. Assign timeframes to each step to create a roadmap. This process ensures that you always know your position in the journey and facilitates adjustments when faced with resistance or distractions.

Break Down Your Goals

To succeed, break down your objectives into smaller, achievable milestones. For instance, transitioning from a tele-sales role to becoming a tech entrepreneur requires specific steps, like learning coding, networking with tech experts, and gaining business skills. By dividing the journey into manageable chunks, you progress systematically.

Set SMART Goals

To ensure your objectives are effective, follow the SMART criteria:

• Specific: Clearly state what skills, knowledge, or experience you aim to achieve.
• Measurable: Establish measurable criteria to track your progress.
• Attainable: Make sure your goals are realistic given your resources and timeframe.
• Relevant: Focus on tasks essential to your journey, avoiding unnecessary distractions.
• Timely: Set deadlines for each task to maintain momentum.

Finally, remember why you embarked on this journey. Just as I used my health goals to stay motivated during a challenging diet, list the benefits of your life plan. These benefits will serve as a source of inspiration during difficult times and help you stay on course.