We live in a world of constant change, especially when it comes to the workplace environment of daily business. Today, “business as usual” consists of updated technologies and international communications. Change management training is thus necessary for those in management roles who wish to keep up with new developments. Whether your company is considering a minute change to one or two procedures, or a significant change to the organization’s structure, it is very common for employees to feel intimidated and uncomfortable with adjustments.

Change will remain unsuccessful unless it is communicated properly. In the frenzy of altercations, no matter what the size, communication skills training will prove to be beneficial for everyone involved. For change to successfully transpire, it must be actively supported by management. As a change manager, you should make an effort to highlight the importance of the anticipated change. No matter the magnitude, the majority of managers and stakeholders should be supportive of and excited for the transformation at hand. In order to convince those opposed to change, managers can point out the potential threats that exist if changes are not made. Additionally, managers should provide employees with dynamic reasoning behind why change must take place.

Once a manager gains the support of his or her employees, the next step in change management is to form an authoritative alliance. When forming a management support team, one must ask for commitment from each party involved. Managers should also ensure that they have a good mix of individuals standing behind them. Every individual has different personal strengths and weaknesses, as well as different job roles at diverse levels. Since change takes time, it becomes extremely important to have long-term support. During the process of making changes, strategic thinking and planning is key. Change management training will teach you how to develop a clear vision. That vision can help everyone understand the purpose behind what you are asking them to do. When team members understand the achievements that a manager is striving toward, then directions that given to them seem to be more logical and purposeful.

The biggest motivation for the support team would be to see results early on. Without early results, detractors and pessimistic thinkers may have a negative affect on others involved. In the planning process, it is a smart idea to create short-term targets to match up with the overall goal of the change. Change managers want each short term target to be achievable, with little room for failure. Although the group may have to work very hard to decide upon these targets, each successful outcome or achievement can further motivate the entire staff. Since real change takes time, immediate triumphs are only the foundation of what needs to be done to achieve long-term change. Communication skills training courses advise organizations to keep continuous change as a part of their organizational culture. One of the most valuable takeaways from the training is the lesson regarding a team of business members supporting changes. If the support of these people is lost, change managers end up back where they started, with nothing accomplished.

Author Bio: David Shoemaker is Vice President of Learning Solutions and Innovation at eCornell. For more information on change management training, communication skills training, or eCornell, please visit http://www.eCornell.com

Category: Education
Keywords: change management training, communication skills training