By Brenda Wensil

Before you undertake any kind of change initiative, it’s important to take stock of your workplace culture and how the values, norms, and behaviors will either help or hinder that effort. Assessing whether your team is ready for organizational change is imperative to ensure the success of your organization.

Preparing for Organizational Change

How do you know if your team is ready for change? Gather your leaders together and have a candid conversation around these six questions that will help determine if you’re ready for some type of organizational change.

  • What is the state of our current culture?
  • What are the values, behaviors, norms, and practices that govern our culture today?
  • Is our current culture in alignment with our mission, vision, and purpose?
  • What obstacles could prevent true change in our organization?
  • How is our leadership helping or hindering a unified culture?
  • What resources, tools, and support are needed to successfully effect change?

Ensure a Successful Change Initiative

After thouroughly and thoughtfully discussing the six questions, go one step further and supplement your anecdotal insights with quantitative data, interviews, focus groups, and surveys of your workforce.

The additional insights will provide further context to the current state of affairs and can often reveal previously unknown challenges or opportunities to the change initiative.

The more information you have, the better equipped you are to successfully effect change at the organizational level.

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