Involving People Early and Often: The Key to Successful Change Management

Involving people early and often is crucial for successful change management. Research shows that people need to hear something five to seven times for it to stick, and even more times until they actually need to know the information. By involving the people most impacted by the change and including them in the design process through pilots, focus groups, and leadership feedback, you can ensure that by the time of the mass announcement, everyone is already aware of the change. This approach is similar to agile principles, where you experiment, pilot, and refresh before moving forward. It's important to include as many people as possible to get the change right the first time and avoid resistance. Communication should be done through various methods like emails and team messages, with follow-ups to ensure the message is received.