Evolve – Making the Change Stick!
By now your company, division or department is ready to Evolve, to enjoy the fruits of your labour and to make sure the change sticks. Remember, Evolve isn’t the finish line, it is simply the results of your most recent efforts. Let’s quickly review our accomplishments so that we get to the key elements of Evolve.
Embrace - The Planning & Communication Phase
- You Built a Rock Solid Credible Plan,
- Communicated a Clear and Measureable Vision,
- Instilled a Sense of Urgency throughout the Organization,
- Set Lofty but achievable Goals & Objectives, and
- Made sure that your Senior Leaders were Ready for the Battle
Execute – Where the Rubber Hits the Road
- You, put the Right People in the Right Places and Weeded out the Resistors,
- Provided the Time, the Training and the Resources,
- Measured and Tracked your Progress along the way,
- Rolled up your Sleeves and Led By Example
Evolve - Celebrate Success and Build Sustainability
Celebrate Even your Smallest Successes
It’s more difficult than you think… What were your top ten successes last year? Most of us have dozens of successes, yet it’s very difficult to name more than two or three. At the pace that business is moving – today’s achievement is just tomorrow’s base line, in fact, many of us are relieved when an achievement is finished and out of the way so we can move to the next item on our priority list.
The trick here is to make sure that we take the time to acknowledge ‘other people’s success. Recognizing and celebrating the success of an employee, the achievement of a team or even the rapid progress towards a goal can make a material difference in the mind of the person that is making the effort to change. Reach out and recognize people that make a positive contribution and you will reinforce the type of behaviours that your company needs to be successful.
Reward Employees to Encourage and Reinforce the New Habits
By the end of the Execution stage, certain employees and certain teams will stand out, they will glow like a bright light and everyone will turn to take notice. These individuals are your ‘Process Stars’. They heard your message, they made it their own and they created success that everyone can see. Their behaviour models the change you need to reinforce to everyone. Their determination, alignment to company objectives and their drive to succeed must be recognized.
Strike while the iron is hot! Whether it’s is a reward, a promotion or a new opportunity, the ’Process Stars” need to be held up as the example for others to follow. Create strong role models, reward their success and the positive cycle of change and continuous improvement will begin to replicate itself.
Raise the Bar Before your Employees Settle into their New Normal
After the success of a long, difficult project, its human nature to pause, take a breath and try to settle into the New Normal. Don’t let it happen! As the leader you need to celebrate the achievement and quickly raise the bar. Make it clear to everyone that the new world record is meant to be broken! It’s the new baseline and anything less does not meet the new standard. Communicate a new urgency, set new objectives, provide the tools and let people use their new skills to move to a higher level of Continuous Improvement.
