Facilitators of Change:

Facilitators of change include but are not limited to people, process and technology. People are the most important facilitator. To adapt late President John F. Kennedy’s words, change is “of the people, by the people, for the people.” Change is most successful when it directly or indirectly impacts people in a positive way. Change also is most successful when it is led by great leaders and change agents – whether they are the president of a country or a technology change lead in a mid-sized company.

People: The human aspect of change. Who is impacted by the change? Who is leading the change? What do we communicate to the team? How do we motivate people individually and collectively to build consensus and garner their support in order to successfully implement the change?

Great leaders and change agents have in abundance: physical stamina, IQ (intelligent quotient), EQ (emotional quotient), and a steady moral compass. Of course, there are other important skills, like being a strong communicator, but we don’t have the band-width to address all of them here. Several books and articles are available on great leadership; here’s one in Huffington Post that lists the 8 characteristics of great leaders.

Process: How will we implement the change? What steps will we all follow? Ben Mulholland at www.process.st has compiled a list of 8 Change Management Models. The structure suggested by each of these models should guide you in selecting which one will work best for your organization and the change that will be implemented. You may decide to mix-and-match, which is OK as long as the resulting process is effective and efficient.

Technology: What technology resources do we need to ensure effective, efficient and successful change? Technology can facilitate communications (conference call, video conference), education and training (on-line curricula), implementation of change, etc. Nowadays, technology has pervaded almost every aspect of our lives – from the time we wake up until the time we go to bed.

Speaking of time…. Is Time a facilitator or a constraint? Typically, people need more time to feel more comfortable with the change. But, in a business setting, time usually is a limited resource. How much time do we have to implement the change? How much time do we devote to the change vis-à-vis to existing routines and ongoing operations? Time and the timing of the change can play a major role in whether change is successfully implemented.

In the next blog, we will discuss some of the specifics of transitioning from Corporate America to Small Business Start-up. Assuming you currently hold a job in Corporate America and are considering leaving it to start your own business…. What will you give up? What will you gain? Will it be worth the difference?

I invite you to join me on this journey and share your stories as well on Facebook and Twitter with the intent of helping others and contributing to the greater good.