8. Have a backup and a back-out plan: Helmuth von Moltke the Elder said, “No
plan survives contact with the enemy.” He was correct. The unexpected will
happen. Be ready for it with a plan to address when your change doesn’t go as
planned. We suggest one of the key questions you should ask when presented
with a change proposal is, “What do we do if this doesn’t work?” Insist that
your employees, especially your IT staff, create backup plans ahead of time to
appropriately address situations when changes don’t go as planned. Whenever
possible, have a plan to back out of your proposed plan when it appears that
the change is not going as intended. For example, you may find in step four of
a twelve-step process that the installation of a new software application is not
going well. The application may not be able to link with the database. Rather
than trying to struggle through with the installation, you decide to stop and
back out of the installation. You go back through steps 3, 2, and 1 to restore the
system to its previous state. Once you have a stable environment, you can
regroup and take the appropriate next steps. When proposed changes don’t go
as planned, don’t stand there with your hands in your pockets wondering what
to do next. Take proactive steps now to prepare to address the unexpected.
Have a plan.
9. Make sure your plan doesn’t break anything else: This is critical. The author is
aware of certain software patches that wipe out previous security configuration
settings; when you install the patch, you have to reset your security settings to
protect your information. Likewise, you may find that blocking a port or protocol
with the intent to better protect your information may actually deny a vital
business function access to an important information source or client that can
generate positive benefit for your organization. Your proposed change may have
unintended consequences. That’s why it is important for you to coordinate your
plan carefully throughout your organization to minimize the chance that you’ll
interrupt an important process, deny an important information source, or break something. Using a Change Management Board helps immeasurably to make
sure that all stakeholders are involved in the process of developing the change
and will help find any weaknesses in the change that could inadvertently cause it
to break something.
10. Be flexible: Most people have pride in ownership. That can be a good thing
when it means they feel a sense of responsibility and commitment. Those attributes
are what we look for in the leaders who we assign to manage important
processes and tasks. Regrettably, some people take pride in ownership too far
and aren’t willing to entertain or accept suggestions for improvements. These
are people we pass over when it comes to assigning leadership responsibilities.
Flexibility allows you to respond quickly when Plan A doesn’t work and you
have to shift to a contingency plan. Flexibility leads you to welcome suggestions
and find better ways of doing business. Flexibility means you are more likely
to remain calm and collected when confronted by the unexpected. Change
introduces stress, uncertainty, and fear for many people. Don’t be one of those
people. Be flexible, embrace change, and lead others to do the same.