Embrace it, make it stick: Change and Business Transformation

I believe change to be one of the most powerful agents in life, and in business. Think about the unchanging elements of your daily routine - brushing your teeth, the drive or walk to the station, the selection of sandwiches in Prêt... That which does not change loses its identity, its individuality. Repeated actions merge into one. Forgive the comparison but it's akin to what must happen to people in prison. The denial of freedom leads to every day being the same, and that takes away the true joy of life in freedom. Change is life!

Now think of the time you started a new job, moved to a new country, even just went somewhere new on the weekend. When in the midst of change, every day seems to last longer by dint of the fact that the routine elements have been removed. Your memories of that particular event are clearer and will last longer.

I embrace change for these reasons. I do 'silly' things like driving a different route every time to frequent destinations, or I will change the ingredients in a dish I make regularly. But more substantially, I see the power of change to create a positive impact on individuals and organisations.

In an organisation, change must be handled with care. Some individuals may have very fixed ideas about what the company does and how it achieves its aims. It is easy to see how such an individual might make things more difficult by resisting the change. It is clearly a major risk to let change go unmanaged. If done properly, change management strategies can be a catalyst for growth, innovation, and the fulfilment of potential. 

A new commercial strategy, for example, should ideally be accompanied by a programme of change management. This gives the business 'structured opportunity' to get things right, to make sure the change is commonly understood, objections handled, feedback delivered, actions set, and the new course plotted. This fosters internal harmony.

Marketing and messaging that matches the strategy is essential, firstly as the verbal glue to hold the change programme together and make it stick, and secondly as a series of deliverables and actions which put the commercial strategy on the road, so to speak.

If your organisation is going through change, or would like to but is concerned about how to handle it, I would love to speak with you. Click here to get in touch and see how Salvatore can help you make the most of change. Embrace it!