BUSINESS CHANGE

Frequently as Owners/Directors of a business consider and review the business (see Strategic Planning/ Reviews) they forget to consult with the people who have the greatest influence on the business. This failure to consult needs careful management. It can be sustained for a short initial period of planning, and then the failure to communicate and consult with the customers, and even more important, your personnel has proven again and again to have major consequences or a series of consequences on future change initiatives.

Communication is the life blood of any business, organisation or association, and doing it well especially through periods of change is critical.

Changes in the business are far easier to lead, and to deliver a successful outcome when personnel are involved early. It maybe to conduct a brainstorming – future view session, it maybe a review or series of focus groups with staff and/or customers.

The circumstances of potential business buyout, merger or major restructure strike fear at worst, and doubt and anxiety realistically into the potentially affected personnel.

• Who will champion the change?
• Who will defect or sabotage the change?
• Will the current managers/ team leaders bring their teams on board or
• Will they only focus on their next opportunities?
• What critical knowledge/skills will be lost?

Elliott Consultancy can facilitate this vital starting point. Free of bias or agenda, an external facilitator often gets a depth of information unhampered by the fear of consequences, that internal reviews all too frequently fail to elicit.