When a change needs to be implemented in your company, you may find yourself in the position of needing to get your team on board. Whether it’s a new system, process, or procedure, getting everyone on board with the change can be tricky if they’re not convinced that it’s going to improve things for them. Read 8 Figure Firm’s blog to learn more about how to get your team to implement.
Why implementation is important
The Oxford dictionary defines implementation as the process of putting a decision or a plan into effect. Implementation is a necessary part of the growth of any business. Implementation is important because it creates guidelines for companies to use to achieve business goals.
Poor implementation can lead to the failure of a project or even of the business as a whole. For effective implementation, there are steps that managers and/or owners can follow. Let’s look at 10 steps to implementation.
10 Steps for you to follow:
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Identify the problem
The first step in getting your team to implement a new process or practice is by identifying the problem. Define the problem and make sure that everyone understands what you’re trying to solve and why it matters. Explain how solving the issue would make things better than they are now.
Write down every issue or challenge that comes up during the discussion, then prioritize them based on which ones will have the most impact on your company in terms of time spent solving them, and therefore cost, as well as potential return on investment (ROI).
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Write a solution
A brainstorming session can help you and your team find the solution for the problem you identified in the first step. Be concrete and specific. Use the problem statement to guide your answer. It always helps to break down the problem into smaller pieces that can be implemented more efficiently by your team members. If there are multiple solutions, choose one and explain why it’s better than others.
Once you’ve written down your solution you need to identify the measures of success for it. What does success look like? What metrics for success should be used?
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Get approval to implement
Getting approval is relevant if the suggestions for change are coming from a lower-level employee. The employee would need to seek approval from a team member who has the authority to implement changes within the organization.
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Communicate the changes forthcoming
Now that you’ve decided on the changes to be made, it’s time to communicate them. This is a crucial step in the process and one that can make or break your implementation plan.
If you don’t communicate effectively with your team members and other relevant stakeholders, they won’t know what they should be doing differently or how their work will be affected by these new changes.
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Send the proposed change in writing
Emailing all relevant team members is one way of ensuring that the proposed changes are communicated clearly and concisely. The solution and policy should be sent in writing before training for their review.
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Set a training date for the change
Implementing changes within your organization will require you to train your team. This will ensure that they are equipped with the necessary skills to effectively implement the proposed changes. It’s important to set a training date well in advance so that the relevant parties can come prepared.
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Train the team
Training the team is a key part of the implementation process. Training your team is also a great way to show that you’re investing in them. Your team needs to be trained in new tools and processes, as well as their new roles and responsibilities. If you don’t do this, they’ll feel like they’re being thrown into the deep end without any guidance, which can lead to frustration on both sides of the equation.
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Provide a period for feedback
Your team will want to feel heard when change is in play. After you’ve introduced the change, it’s important to give your team time to ask questions, provide feedback and raise concerns.
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Have team members sign off that they understand the change
Signing off on the change is a great way to show that your team understands and agrees to the upcoming changes and that they are committed to implementing them. This also ensures that everyone understands what the next steps are in the implementation plan.
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Implement the change
Now that you’ve laid out a detailed plan of action for you and your team, it’s time to implement the change. Make sure that all resources are in place so that implementation can happen smoothly. If there are any missing pieces or if something needs fixing before moving forward with the plan, address it immediately to avoid compromising the quality of the work being done.
Implementing a change can be a long and onerous process, but it’s worth it. The more effort you put into planning, the easier the implementation will be on your team and your organization as a whole.
Having a process in place that helps everyone understand what changes are coming and how they’ll be affected by them means fewer headaches down the road when it comes time to roll out new policies or procedures.
Speak to the Experts
At 8 Figure Firm, we know how important it is to have a team that works towards growth and responds to change – our ONE.Coach program is designed to take you and your team to the top.
If you’re ready to take your law firm to the next level, register for ONE.Coach today. We’ll help you turn your law firm into a law business.
