Make It Important 2

In any change leadership situation, it can be challenging to get buy-in from the people involved.  This is especially true when changing culture.

There are many ways to approach this challenge in Continuous Process Improvement.  Involving those affected by the change in the decision-making process is incredibly important, as is communication of expectations.

“Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”  Admiral David Farragut’s famous quote exemplifies leadership and the art of “Making It Important”.

Quite possibly the best way that change leaders can get things done is to “Make It Important”.  None of your other efforts are likely to gain traction if you miss this important step.

Following are 5 ways that you, as a leader, can Make It Important for your team.

1. Spend 5 Minutes.

By discussing your expectations for the change initiative every day, you drive home the fact that it is not a passing fad.  It doesn’t take much time, just a few minutes each day.  Talk to your people about your change initiative for just a few minutes every day.

2. Repetition.

Don’t let your team forget what is important.  Repetition of important requirements leads to better recollection of the important details.  Help your team remember the importance of their efforts.

3. Reminders.

When progress gets difficult, remind your team of why they are going through the effort.  Life is better on the other side of change; sometimes we all just need a little refresher.

4. Set the Example.

Lead from the front.  If it is important enough for the leader to be doing it, then it should be important enough for the team to follow suit.  Remind (through action) the old adage “what is important to my boss had better be fascinating to me”.

5. Share the Pain.

 It’s never easy.  Show your team that they aren’t alone by letting them see your challenges in implementing change.  More importantly, show them the lengths to which you are willing to go in order to make it happen.

These 5 steps will help you get the message across to your team and will help you make change “stick”.  If you aren’t willing to do these 5 things, you should be asking yourself if you are really as committed to change as you think you are.  None of these items takes greater effort than what you expect of your team.

By performing these 5 steps you demonstrate just how dedicated you are to the change you are expecting.  And when your team sees how important it is to you, they won’t want to let you down.

Do you have any items to add to this list?  Leave a comment below and share your expertise!