Last week I planned out 45 minutes to change my oil and filter in my truck. Two days later I wrapped up my planned 45 minute project. There are minor details you must be aware of when you tackle any task. As for changing oil, you must make sure you drain the right liquid out of your truck. This is where I went wrong. I drained my transmission fluid rather than oil.
I was careless and approached my drain plug from the side of the truck rather than the front like I normally do. Transmission fluid came pouring out instead of oil. At that point, there was no stopping the process. I proceeded to change the transmission filter since the fluid was already drained. The transmission drain and filter change was never part of my plan when I started to change my oil. Sometimes plans do not pan out the way you plan.
Image by rawpixel via Pixabay
Changing People Needs Attention
Attention is crucial when you attempt to change anything. Just like changing oil, changing company culture, employee morale, or employee production requires attention to detail throughout the process.
You can have the greatest plans and the greatest strategies, but if you lack attention to detail, you could cause issues during and after the change process.
Changing People Does Not Come Easy
Today’s modern business is constantly changing. With only 33 percent of U.S. employees engaged at work, companies are searching for ways to change company culture and reengage employees.
As I help businesses through change, I make sure social awareness is priority. People do not always like change. Being attentive to employee’s emotions is vital when change is happening. Businesses going through change need to have a pulse on their people and people analytics is a great place to start.
If you want to change company culture in the modern workplace, you are daring to fight against the normal flow of work and can get a lot of resistance. Even if people are open and welcoming to changing the culture, changing normality does not come easy. The process takes constant evaluation of how people are reacting and interpreting the change process.
Changing Company Culture Requires Communication
Never assume others understand your position, hopes, or desires to your change. Make it clear at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end. You cannot overstate and over communicate during change. Tell them where you are going and then remind them where you are going.
The modern workplace has many lines of communication daily and your communication during change is just another line to them. If you want your communication during change to stick, you need to continually repeat your position, hopes, and desires coming from the change.
Change in the Modern Workplace Needs Roots
Allow your communication to be the watering mechanism to the seed of change. The soil will absorb the water and quickly thirst for more water. People process communication quickly and then revert back to their normal functions and assumptions. Water, or communicate, the seed of change you are planting until it has taken root. As soon as the change has taken a strong root, then communication will shift into a new level of communication.
Communication must remain the top priority through the process. Even after change has taken root, keep communicating. Communication helps others ease their uncertainties and lack of clarity. You cannot over communicate through change.
Produce Advocates To Carry Out Change
If you are wanting to change anything about people or a group of people today, you need to have others in your corner and advocating for the change outcome. Advocates are early adopters who understand the purpose, the mission, and the vision to the change. You need advocates. These people are able to think on their feet when troubles arise. And yes, troubles will arise during change. Prepare for troubles by having a group of advocates who align with your direction before moving forward.
If you can get advocates before the change starts to happen, get it. The more you have, the better chance your change will be successful.
Change Can Be Amazing If You Pay Attention To Details
Changing company culture in the modern workplace requires your attention to details. Do not overlook or neglect any situation in regards to change. People feel secure in routines and what they know. Even if it is harmful, they will tend to stick to what they know rather than change. Ease people into change and collect a group of people ready to tackle the change project together. This is when real success to change happens.
**The original version to this article was published on JaredBuckley.com.
-----
Jared Buckley, Millennial Skills Coach, helps businesses strategically develop millennials soft skills and emotional intelligence. He has worked with multiple well-known companies focusing improving communication, team production, employee performance, and leadership. In addition, he has written for other publications such as Addicted2Success, Lifehack, Dumb Little Man, and more.