How to “Sell” Your Staff on Change

Selling Change Is Not a Bad Thing

If you are an experienced manager, you are aware of the potential destructive results of change in the workplace. You’ve probably witnessed the negativity, uncertainty, even fear that staff feels when changes are about to be implemented. You’re probably also aware of an unfortunate irony: Most corporate changes benefit everyone.

The rapidity that changes occur in markets, industries, and technology almost ensure that corporate changes to meet these challenges will be necessary, too. This makes it crucial that management, on every level, sell these changes effectively to all who are affected. A consistent state of corporate turmoil seldom results in superior performance. Success is typically only possible when the whole team supports the changes.

Yet, selling staff on operations, procedural, or policy changes must be a bit more subtle than simply issuing a management decree explaining the coming changes and a dictum that all staff should welcome them. While this action plan is simple, most often, it will not work.

At the same time, you know that, in order for these changes to be effective, your staff needs to embrace them with the right attitude. The risk of failure increases if the true implementers of the changes – your employees – are unwilling or unable to adopt the new procedures. Trying to demand or require adherence through management decree is a risk you and your company should not take. This method tends to be an “all or nothing” approach. What happens if the “nothing” results?

The obvious solution: Sell the staff on the changes to convince them to voluntarily “buy into” the program and successfully implement the requirements. Here are some tips to help you make a successful “sale.”

How to Sell Coming Changes in a Positive Way

• Be a model of positive behavior. Using words, body language, and consistent actions displays your confidence in the changes and in your employees’ ability to succeed. Regardless of your authority level, your staff will be more impressed if you “walk the walk.” You’ll be selling without selling, so to speak.
  
  
• Face up to the negativity and deal with it. Ignoring the potential initial negativity, while trying to sell the positive aspects of changes, is typically an exercise in futility. Tell your staff that you understand their frustration and fear. It’s natural. Ask for suggestions – from them – about how to make the situation and transition better for everyone.
  
  
• Publicly point out all the positives. After acknowledging the issues, the best way to sell the changes is to point out the positives, particularly those that may, at first, appear to be negatives. Selling change this way displays the benefits while suppressing the negatives at the same time.
• Be public with your recognition for those employees who embrace and help implement the change. Even those who are steadfast in obstructing the changes typically realize the wisdom and personal profit of helping, rather than opposing the changes.
  
  
• Involve your staff in the implementation process. Solicit ideas and suggestions from your employees on how to best install the changes. Even if few superior suggestions appear, the fact that you asked your staff to contribute achieves your goal of harmony and support. It is gratifying to watch formerly negative employees become re-engaged and supportive of changes that they must implement anyway. The perception of having input often transfers objection to support.
  
  

The only given is that change will occur. Like problems and down economies, you know they will occur, just not when they will happen. Being prepared is more important than being lucky or taking risks. Using one or more of these tips should help you sell changes to your staff – transitioning to what is, from what was, successfully. This result is the most important component to managing change properly.

Change is inevitable. The results, successful or unsuccessful, often depend on the cooperation of the team. The best ideas may be useless if never implemented. Do your best to convince your staff that everyone benefits if they do their best to make corporate changes work well. It is not necessary, of course, that everyone likes the changes; working to implement them successfully is, however, the goal.

If you can sell the changes to your team or department, the odds of successfully managing change increase dramatically. Improve your chances to excel by honestly and fairly selling your staff on the importance of implementing change properly.