Organizations need to thoroughly prepare their leaders and obtain their commitment up front. It is suggested to hold a few off-site facilitated meetings where leaders can “get on same page” and be coached in effective ways to communicate new direction to employees.

Hold a kick-off celebration management meeting. Top leadership should articulate clear and exciting vision for change. Map out process, timelines, champions, and benefits. Review past successes and learnings. What changes have worked well and why? Which have failed and why? Give people ample time to talk about resistance and fear that they may have as well as what they expect from staff.

Provide management with training. Building skills in change management, managing conflict, team building and coaching, is essential. Plan to have management skill building sessions throughout process.

Many organizations have invested vast amounts of money in new technology and quality or re-engineering programs and report little success. Leadership was not trained or ready. When significant change is implemented, weak management practices surface like wild fire. Invest in your leadership and their people skills. After all, people will either resist and sabotage change or get on board and be your champions.

STEP THREE: MISSION, VISION, GOAL CLARITY

Research supports that mission-driven organizations are more efficient and productive than rule-driven groups. Reexamine and revise your mission, vision and goals. If management is not well trained in strategic planning, get up to speed and take planning process down into all levels of company. Get full participation and buy-in. A well written strategic plan should include clear goals for each step of any major change. Again, as change preparedness process penetrates throughout organization, front line staff must be sincerely listened and responded to. Token input and lip service to this process are sure to encourage resistance, sabotage, and low morale.

STEP FOUR: FORMAL COMMUNICATION

The initial formal communication forum is a regular management team meeting throughout change process. The size of organization will determine how many teams need to be set up. Consistent meeting management should be adhered to. Again, training or coaching may be desirable. Everyone in organization should be clear about accepted meeting ground rules and procedures. People will greatly benefit from facilitation training which helps to empower more individuals.

Each department should hold “All hands meetings” at least quarterly. This is an opportunity to keep everyone informed, to celebrate successes, to offer some skill building, and to hold open dialog. No one likes surprises. Ask for lots of group input and demonstrate direct actions and follow-up from this. Some organizations create an internal newsletter which publicizes updates, benchmarks, and successes. Everyone throughout organization should have some formal communication link. People need to feel that there is an appropriate place to ask questions, express concerns, and deal with fears and anxieties as they arise. Well planned change has positive benefits for entire organization.

Marilyn Manning, Ph.D., CMC, CSP, has an organizational consulting, training and speaking business specializing in strategic planning, change and conflict management and team-building. Call (650)965-3663; M@MManning.com; www.MManning.com; 945 Mountain View Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94040. fax 650 965-3668.

Limitations appear in many ways. Experience. Money. Time. Education. You name it, it is bound to be there. One of greatest limitations is that of mind. Determine which obstacles are real and which ones are imagined. Which excuses have been used over and over so that you will not have to face fear of unknown? Once you identify your real and imagined limitations, you will be able to work with them and move forward.

Granted, there is a lot that can dampen our spirits if we allow it. However, there are many opportunities to achieve your dreams if you are willing to step outside of your comfort zone, put effort into your vision and move forward little by little.

In order to break through your boundaries you must first realize what they are. Knowing what they are allows you to take action. Look for others who may have had similar roadblocks. Find out what they did to move forward. In their strategy may be your formula for success.

Are you secretly wishing you would do something with your life other than what you are doing, but fear holds you back? If you ask most people what their greatest regret is, more times than not they will say it is what they didn’t do rather than what they did.

One of greatest gifts we can give to others and ourselves is to unlock talents we have been blessed with and to have courage to use them. Ask yourself, “How well do I use my gifts to contribute to well-being of myself and others?”

Will your life be filled with regrets or will it be filled with passion?