The referendum result, regardless of whether you voted to remain or leave, has thrown up challenges and opportunities. My question to you as a business person is:
“How are you going to manage the necessary changes within your business?”
Change is exciting to some people, but to many it can be painful and at times, threatening. As a business owner we have to be careful how we articulate the need for change and ensure that it is seen as a positive. We have to involve the team and empower employees to drive this change. If you are like me and you have lots of ideas you have to be careful how you introduce such change in your business… Trust me, I know!
Andy Bounds, who I have previously worked with, sent a timely blog last week about how to communicate change… click here to read Andy’s blog.
The result of the referendum was a shock to most, even those who voted to leave! The real consequences of Brexit will take sometime to unfold but as a business owner, it is important to respond positively, show leadership and innovate wherever possible.
So, are you a leader who creates change exhaustion in your business? This is when there are so many changes that employees feel alienated and dread the next idea being launched on them! Or, are you the type that implements an idea but then doesn’t give it time to work and become embedded in the business. Perhaps something else comes along and you change direction? Alternatively, it may be that you have a more dictatorial approach and you then become anxious and frustrated that your ideas aren’t met with enthusiasm and gusto?
I suggest that most business owners have been guilty of all three at some point.
Studies have shown that companies who are unable to sustain change over time aren’t very good at taking into account how to influence those around them. Sure, we are all very busy but without the team on board, it’s very difficult to successfully integrate change. We, as business owners, need to stop and think about the way people view matters, how they may interpret this change and how they may respond to the brief we give them.
Such considerations are very close to home for me. In recent months I have had a real desire to elevate the way we deal with clients even further. I want each and every client to feel cherished, cared for and understand how we can help to alleviate any headaches they may feel to do with financial planning. Inside Blue Sky, I refer to this as our ‘concierge approach’. It was obvious to me how this should unfold. I had communicated verbally and in writing to all members of the team. I was inspired and looking forward to seeing the benefits of this approach for both clients and efficiencies in the business. Easy peasy!
The problem is, it wasn’t easy peasy at all. Members of the team couldn’t visualise the service in the way I did. Some are more logical, more structured than me and it needed to be mapped out more clearly. It was all about introducing the service using their language, not my language. I needed to understand their barriers to implementation and help them see the benefits and value such change would bring for all. We brought in some outside expertise and guess what, we are now up and running.
