Quality Digest

Change is easier to accept when there is a problem to overcome. The boss can rally the troops and ask everyone to pitch in and offer suggestions on how to proceed. But, if no emergency exists, the boss must clarify his or her vision of what needs to happen and communicate it to everyone. All employees must be encouraged to give suggestions. In other words the vision must become theirs. This will happen if they see a willingness on the part of management to accept their ideas. Change can be threatening. For example, companies initiating team activities are strongly advised to declare that no one will be laid off because of a team recommendation. (Reductions of employees will happen through at attrition). Kick off the change on a small pilot basis. A lot will be learned and many important modifications introduced while it is still small. More importantly, resistance to the new change will be minimized as long as it starts out on a pilot basis. During the pilot, measure, measure, measure. That will assure your change is producing results.