Implementing change, even in the best of times, can be problematic and frustrating. If you want a real life example, did you see Tiger Woods’ less than stellar performance at this year’s Phoenix Open? It raised a question in my mind – why would one of the best golfers in history seek out advice from recent swing coaches who, in my assessment, apparently rely heavily upon reading books and observing others? Isn’t that like going to an elephant trainer to learn how to ride a horse? Obviously Tiger has chaos, not change.
As the leader of your organization, do you want to do something better than Tiger? Successful implementation of change means involving key players in the development of your implementation plan. Would it surprise you to learn that your key players may not be the people you think of first? Your key players are those folks who know their jobs better than anyone else in your organization and can talk easily to you about those jobs. They constantly seek out opportunities to improve their skills, expand their knowledge, and share that with the team. They have an inherent desire to excel and to give the organization their best every day. Identify those folks, engage them in a dialog (you ask questions and then actively listen to their responses) and task them with developing a realistic plan to implement the changes needed. I think you’ll be pleased with how smoothly that whole process goes.
Oh, and a note to Tiger – drop the swing coaches and go talk to the legends in golf like Arnie, Jack, Tom Watson, Greg Norman, Gary Player and others who have proven their greatness. You’ll gain more from a session or two with these stellar players than from all the folks you’ve hired recently.