3 Organizational Change Tips to Swap the Old for the New

Organizational Change Tips that Work
Learning new ways to do things involves absorbing new knowledge and applying new skills, but it also involves following organizational change tips that help to shift the old ways to the new ways – a kind of change that requires some UN-learning.

It Is Not Easy To Shed Old Habits
Change experts say that even though we may be convinced that the new ways are more effective, more efficient, and less costly than the old ways, it is not easy to shed old work habits that have become ingrained over time.

Think about every time an app is upgraded. It can be annoying to look for a previous function that has moved or changes.  Or have you ever found yourself driving almost automatically to the old office well after you’ve moved to a new location?  Or reaching for a computer mouse when you recently switched to a touch pad?

The older way of doing things often interferes with the desired or required change to do things differently.

Three Change Management Tips to Help Swap the Old for the New
How does this so-called “unlearning” process affect your ability to function in a marketplace where change is constant? Change management consulting gurus say you need to be able to react quickly and shift to the new way faster than your competition.  Here are three organizational change tips on how to manage change from the old to the new more effectively:

1. Set Stretch Goals
   Let’s say you are in customer service and you are no longer being rated on how fast you complete each customer call but on how well satisfied customers are at the conclusion of the call.  This is a new way of treating the customer and a new way of thinking about how to be successful.You need to change your approach from “how quickly can I end the call” to “what does the customer truly need and how can I best serve them.”  One way to achieve the new behaviors more quickly is to add an element of anxiety by setting goals that seem almost out of reach.

   Say you want 90% of your first-week customer calls to show satisfaction with the way you handled them. Impossible? Maybe.

   But, done right, the “performance pressure of not reaching the goal can help focus attention on developing the new attitude and skills needed to succeed and also take attention away from the earlier goal of speed at all costs.

2. Expand Your Sources of Input
   A common lesson from our change management simulation is to not underestimate the assessment phase of change.  Don’t just stick with your old influencers. Reach out and look for new sources of information and inspiration.

   If, for example, you have been unsuccessful at dieting, perhaps you need a new way to approach the challenge of eating healthier.  Check out different proven programs.  Research what foods are most important to your long-term health.  Ask your doctor, friends and family what has worked most effectively for them.Sticking with the same-old program will give you the same-old results. No longer rely on what you think you know. Shake it up and broaden your contacts so you benefit from the strength of diversity

3. Question Your Conclusions
   Challenge yourself by looking at opposite points of view. This will enhance your flexibility and sharpen your ability to change.

   If you stick to your opinion without even looking at a conflicting point of view, you could be guilty of being an ideologue by blindly adhering to a particular ideology.If you are in a company, say, that has been highly structured and is now moving toward a flatter organizational restructuring, you need to be open to the advantages of the new direction.

   You can’t just stick with the old way — you’ll be quickly out of sync with the new and favored culture

The Bottom Line
Challenge yourself to learn and unlearn at the same time. Change is inevitable. Pay attention to the advice of change experts.  Follow these organizational change tips and make sure you are equipped to deal with change smartly and effectively.

To get more organizational change tips, download This Free Research-backed Change Toolkit Now