What does good look like?

Have a clear vision for your end state.

If you can’t describe it, how do people know what you’re aiming for?

How sure are you that your colleagues know what you’re aiming for in your change project?

I have a friend who has recently (and bravely) started a property development company.  Her business model is to buy run-down houses at auction, do them up, dress them up and sell them at a profit.  I know it’s a whole world of hard work and risk to get to the result she wants but at the same time it’s really clear when she is there.  The house looks smart, the new transformed house is described in all its glory and the buyer has the keys.

Compared to many business change and transformation programmes what she is doing seems simple and I began to wonder why…

For one, there is a physical, tangible product - the house - which starts in one condition (pretty run down) and ends up in a much better state - smart and up together. 

Secondly, she only needs one customer to want the product and she’s done. There aren’t loads of stakeholders to keep happy along the way (apart from her builders!). So, provided she has done her market research, she should be fine.

Business change is hard because there are usually lots of people who are impacted by the change and who need to be on-board for the benefits to be realised. It could be that you want customers to use a new digital platform or get employees to collaborate with a new tool. 

As a change leader, you need to make sure your vision doesn’t have unintended consequences for the people who will metaphorically be living in the new house.   So be clear what good looks like  and be able to describe what you’re aiming for.  My 3 top tips are:

• Don’t start your change project unless you know what you’re aiming for and why

• Take time to create a simple, compelling vision of your change ‘end state’ (the new house with all mod cons). Make sure people want to buy it and live in it!

• And be clear what handing over the keys really means - how do you know when you’re done and you have happy customers

Please do get in touch If you want help with your change agenda: [email protected]