Change in the workplace is inevitable and absolutely necessary over time to bring on true business transformation. Still, dealing with constant shake-up’s is challenging, especially for employees who are on the receiving end of the “bright new way.” They don’t often have a strong voice in upheaving organizational processes and enacting new goals. It is leadership’s job to listen to and make your people feel heard, convey understanding, and get teams onboard and excited about change.

When it comes to an organizational shift, team members might resist, or come forward with concerns. Existing customers might ask questions or new market insights that challenge your strategy may come to light. It’s important to be prepared, thoughtfully engage, and consider new information as it arises together.

Embrace the reality that steps and business processes might shift within a business transformation strategy while the end goal can remain the same. Though certain aspects will change over time, I have learned over the years that there are three anchors to help ground your transformation and communicate with your teams, creating a shared view and perspective of the ultimate end goal (remember- one team, one goal). Amongst change, if the answers to these three questions remain unchanged, then your strategy should still be on the right track.  

1. What is our purpose?
2. What is the true voice of our target customer?
3. What is the honest and objective breadth of our capabilities?

For example, a new CEO may be brought onboard amidst an ongoing business growth transformation journey. Their potential difference of opinion from the previous CEO isn’t grounds alone to change business strategy. You can use these three anchoring questions to objectively determine if new evidence is suggesting a new direction or whether we are talking about a different approach to get to the end goal in a faster or better manner.

If and when a change in evidence or circumstance relating to one of the three anchors does imply a strategic shift, consider the most effective route to make it happen and ensure the change is reflected across the strategy plan and organization in advance to avoid surprises and maintain transparency. Over-communicate to make sure people truly understand the shift and that you listen to their concerns— you will need to address them to win their belief in your choices.

If you maintain these three anchoring questions as your drum line, then other factors might shift while you still remain on track. Strategy should never change just because a new voice enters the conversation; but when your purpose, audience need, competition, or market situation fundamentally change (or you have evidence to make you believe it will change), then you have grounds to open that conversation up and consider a shift. Understand when to pivot and when to stand your ground and business transformation will follow.

I would love to hear your views and experiences with this type of “maintain the course or change” decision-making and how you manage organizational transformation.

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For more info/questions about this topic or business transformation in general, please reach out to us at accelerate@growthride.com. We’re always grateful to keep the conversation going!