10 etiquette tips for successful change management

Anything living is always changing until the day it dies — even in organizations. So why is there such a high rate of perceived failure when it comes to managing organizational change?

Research over the years by both John Kotter and McKinsey¹ reveals that “only 30 percent of change programs succeed.” We better improve our average now, because in the new world of work, the pace of change is only increasing — and it’s affecting the very foundations of the business world. Look at the sharing economy or “collaborative consumption” business models.

While no one can predict exactly what will happen next, we do know change is happening faster — and businesses need to have visibility and be ready and able to direct or respond. Here are ten etiquette tips for effective change management:

There are a lot of change management models out there. Look to outside sources that can help you design or adapt a model that will work for your company, based on your needs and scale appropriately. 

Companies often refer to change as a thing of the past. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard a sentence start with “When we went through our change last year …” But remember: You and your organization are always in a state of change. It doesn’t stop, so neither should you. 

An important part of change management is keeping an eye on which way people are leaning, both at the micro and macro levels. If the high-level lean is forward, you’re driving change. But if the lean is backwards, there is too much resistance. Find where the resistance is anchored, and work from there to build awareness, answer questions and address issues and fears. 

Because change is unpredictable, you have to recognize when you need help from members of the team and management. And if you’re seeing persistent resistance to the change, perhaps your direction is off and you need to change course. 

Having flexibility dramatically increases your odds of success. Forcing yourself to rigidly adhere to a plan made six months ago, when you had only a speculative view of the situation on the ground, is not a good change management policy — and can be disastrous in the new world of work. 

Use a combination of facts, figures and gut feelings with making decisions, and do so in a timely fashion. Remember, data alone will not tell the whole story. Your internal feelings will guide you. And keep in mind that not making a decision is making a decision. 

There are no acquisitions that will fix your lagging business model. Change comes from within, and it begins with company leaders. 

It’s incredibly difficult to overcome adversity when people know what’s going wrong but don’t feel comfortable speaking up. So make them feel comfortable. It can be tricky, but it’s so important. The more people feel supported and safe to communicate their issues, the more you will know how things are really going throughout your organization.