7 Simple Steps to Effectively Managing Change
This article is
C
hange is hard—there are no two ways about it.
As Director of Onboarding Programs at Practice Ignition, it’s my job to lead clients through change. Specifically, to help them successfully implement Practice Ignition within their organisation. Myself and our CSM team around the world work tirelessly to help practices manage change—so we’ve built up a fair degree of expertise about what this process involves. For instance, we’ve learned that people are creatures of habit. We get used to certain systems, processes, and tools—so we shudder at the thought of suddenly having to ditch existing ways of working. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right? Unfortunately, this attitude can actively hurt your practice. Your existing tools and systems might do the job just fine, but you don’t want to provide a service that’s just fine. You want to astound clients, grow your practice, and become more efficient in the process. You’re therefore going to have to change with the times, implementing new tools that will improve your ways of working. To do this properly, however, you’ll first have to master how to effectively manage
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Hugh Walker, Head of Marketing & CX - EMEA and Director of Onboarding Programs, Practice Ignition Having worked at Practice Ignition for 3 years, and 7 years total in the accounting tech space, Hugh has helped countless firms make changes to the way they run their businesses. In a case of perfect timing he moved to London in November 2019 and has spent the time since on walking and building out a significant liquor cabinet.
change. Fortunately, this is easier than you might think.
then of course you won’t gain team-wide buy-in.
Let’s explore 7 simple steps that will help you seamlessly manage change within your practice.
Second, make sure that the change won’t adversely impact any high-value projects that desperately need to be completed. Whilst you’ll never be able to avoid all disruption, you can certainly make sure you avoid implementing large change projects at the worst time possible.
1) Understand there’s never a “perfect time” Perhaps you’re thinking, “We’re too busy! We couldn’t possibly implement another new solution.” Annoyingly, there’s never a ‘perfect’ time to implement a change. Sure—you’d be welladvised not to revamp your entire operations during tax season, but if you’re waiting for the ideal moment, the perfect opportunity, then you’ll always be left waiting. However, always keep the end goal in mind. Remember that you ultimately want your practice to be more efficient and to provide your clients with more value. Despite the short-term disruption, implementing innovative solutions will always be worthwhile over the long run. That being said, there are a few key best practices to keep in mind. First, schedule the change at a time when you’ll be in the office— if you’re supposed to be leading the project but have gone AWOL
2) Bring your team on the journey with you Nobody likes dictatorial leaders. The days of managers assuming a ‘command and control’ style of leadership has fortunately fallen by the wayside, with it largely being replaced by collaborative leaders who prioritise excellent communication above all else. I remember an old manager telling me “I don’t care if you understand why it’s happening, just do it”— and nothing has ever disengaged me from my work more. Remember the following points when trying to get your team on board with any change projects. Share the problem you’re looking to solve with the change Before you begin, you’ll first have to communicate why you’re
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