The road to change is rife with obstacles and underlying issues that can seem overwhelming when you think of trying to fix it all. Chip Heath and Dan Heath, authors of Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard suggest that instead of trying to solve all the organization’s problems, find areas that work and share what they do with the rest of the organization.
We already have fancy names for this: “internal benchmarking” and “best practice sharing.” These sound very bureaucratic, don’t they? You don’t need to institutionalize it. Just find the people who are already doing what you want everyone else to do, and let them tell, show and share what they do that works.
Which departments have effective meetings that are fun to go to? Invite other people so they can see how that team interacts.
Who has added a special tweak to their process that improves overall quality? Provide them time to show others what they do differently.
Who has created a unique tool that allows them to complete the job in half the time? Help them develop instructions and duplicate it for others.
Which managers’ teams are achieving their goals? Watch how they encourage their direct reports and hold them accountable.
Identify the parts of your organization that are already working the new way, and shine a light on them.
What already works?
Read more of the 99 Ways to Influence Change.
