Thousands of years ago the philosopher Heraclitus wrote “The only thing that is constant is change”. It’s a statement that remains just as true today as it was back then…the uncertainty surrounding Brexit is certainly on every business owner’s mind at the moment.

Mark Zuckerberg once said “In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks” and he was right. Leadership is not an event but a journey. Successful leaders not only acknowledge the need for change and development within their organisations but are also willing and able to navigate their team through the change process.

The prospect of change can be daunting but if leaders do not embrace change and take risks then it brings into question their ability to lead - full stop. However, if it’s managed correctly, the process can impact positively. Recently CMI reported “that effective leadership can lead to a 32% increase in productivity”, so it doesn’t have to be painful...but where do you start? From my own experience with clients, as well as wisdom collected from colleagues and thought leaders, here are is a roadmap for planning your transformation:

1. Create a plan. Every business requires change to survive. If a company doesn’t innovate and react to changing demands it will wither and die…beware though not to change for change sake. Before embarking on your journey, be sure to have a solid business plan that highlights the areas that require review and put a plan in place to make it happen.

2. Understand the end goal. It is really critical to understand the end goal and objectives before starting out. Simply ask yourself: where is the company today and where does it want to be? As a leader though you will have the confidence and capability to adapt to changing circumstances and views. Listen to your employees, be bold and confident enough to adjust direction…the journey is not static.

3. Communicate clearly. You must have the team behind you. Keep everyone updated of developments and explain the end goal. Give them the opportunity to share ideas, concerns, comments and suggestions throughout the process.You need to create an atmosphere of excitement that employees want to be a part of.

4. Identify Key Players. Employees react differently to change and its your role as leader to identify both advocates and potential saboteurs. Get key players on board and involved from the beginning to help promote a successful outcome.

5. Delegate tasks. You need to be a visionary and show the way forward but you must acknowledge that the plan cannot be implemented alone. Engage and involve your team; delegate tasks, follow up, provide guidance and support, answer questions. By giving employees ownership and responsibilities, more will be accomplished as others are encouraged to take ownership.

6. Set Realistic Objectives. Don’t set yourself or your team up for failure. If expectations are too high, not only will quality be compromised but deadlines are unlikely to be met, morale will plummet and people will disengage. The result will be a despondent, demotivated and unhappy workforce.

7. Manage Expectations. Clarity is critical here for both you as leader and your employees. Clarify what is expected from employees and conversely what they expect from you as leader.

8. Hold People Accountable. Ensure you provide the appropriate tools, resources, responsibility and authority necessary to ensure that they can contribute to making change happen.

As a final thought, the change process needs to be exciting to get everyone on board and in your role as leader all of the above is easy and simple to implement…good luck and enjoy the journey!