"People follow people. They don't follow blueprints on a page or words on a piece of paper. Particularly in the uncertain atmosphere surrounding change, people want the comfort of following a leader."- Susan Annunzio, Eleadership

If you want your company to keep up with the best of the new breed you must not only embrace change, but lead the charge to bring it to your company.

"People follow people. They don't follow blueprints on a page or words on a piece of paper. Particularly in the uncertain atmosphere surrounding change, people want the comfort of following a leader" notes Susan Annunzio in Eleadership. So, if you want to introduce change management to your company, it must start with you.

Present Your Vision

If you want your staff to follow you, you have to be certain they understand where it is you want to lead them. What are your business goals and why is change necessary?

You must paint a picture which conjures up the excitement of business in the new digital age, with all the expanded possibilities before us. As Annunzio points out " Vision is one of the tools the best-run eCompanies have used to their great advantage in attracting the best talent and keeping those workers motivated. Whether its Steve Jobs in the early days of Apple Computer or Steve Case at America Online, the great high-tech leaders have made a passionate case for their companies' role in fundamentally altering modern life.

If your company began with a compelling vision, you can dip into that well of loyalty and respect for the past and the company's achievements and build on that foundation. But your vision must look towards the future. You must take the essence of what it is your company has achieved in the past and what you hope to achieve and adapt it to today's and tomorrow's needs.

In order to constantly put your vision in front of your workers, you must first boil it down to a very concise statement. You will need to develop what is known as "an elevator pitch." This is a description of your company's vision which is short enough to be delivered to someone whom you run into and have the opportunity to pitch on the elevator, somewhere between the 10th and the 3rd floor. Three to five sentences make a good elevator pitch, so they'd better sum up your vision concisely and with considerable impact.

And, however good your vision statement may be, you must develop a process, whether at weekly meetings or special retreats, to continue to update it, and keep it fresh and uppermost in the minds of all your staff.


Change Behavior To Encourage Passion

Ideas Should Be Challenged and Debate Encouraged

There should be a healthy acceptance of conflict and debate, knowing from this richness of experience and input, growth and innovative new concepts can spring. Freedom to express their views allows people need to bring their passion to their work and weave their vision into their goals.

Value Learning

Making yours a learning company assures positive change because as your workforce learns, their methods of conceiving of and completing tasks almost certainly will change.

Team Development

Sharing, challenging, learning to work in teams is one of the most effective ways to spur growth and company development.


Seek Continuous Input From Customers

Make customers part of your continuous learning experience. By listening to them, you will empower yourself and your team to get out in front of problems, anticipate situations, approach them as opportunities and develop new approaches and solutions.


Make Collaboration Happen

The trend in new companies is for executives and decision makers not to be stuck in ivory towers, or distant corner offices, behind playing field size mahogany desks, but on the floor with the workers, in the thick of the action. An executive, after all, is supposed to have the best overview, detailed knowledge and experience. She should be in the center of the hub-bub, where workers can turn to her for advice and support.

Corner locations today are often used as places where employees can meet and interact.

Reward Heroes

Identifying and rewarding heroes helps you accomplish several of your strategic tasks;

• You retain the "best and brightest" by rewarding them.
• You reinforce desired behaviors, by shining the spotlight on those whom you wish to be role models for other workers.
• You begin the process of nurturing and developing next generation leaders

These are the processes which will allow your company to seize and maintain a leadership advantage in any industry.