Change... for Dummies (part I)

If possible, introducing change to the workplace is messier than most diapers. There are whole courses, whole degree tracks, dedicated to incorporating change and dealing with change. My most verbose post (and lets admit, they are long) is only a fraction of the length of stuff available on this topic. Its vitally important and not going anywhere. Whether you're going back to work next year or in 15 years, this topic will remain relevant.

The first term you learn associated with change in the business world is "LOW HANGING FRUIT." This refers to the part of a fruit tree that is accessible to everyone (all employees) and not just the apple pickers. (the boss)

You see, change is scary. Even if you can convince your boss to adopt a change, employee buy in is no guarantee and frankly, just as vital. Employees who are wary of changes will resist adopting them both physically (refusing to change) or involuntarily (taking longer to learn because they do not want to change.) I hate to stereotype, but this is both of my prior administrative assistants TO A TEE. Both had been working at the same place for decades, both had been doing things the same way. Said changes both came from my respective supervisors. However, I was the one in the middle. Neither communicated the changes very well to begin with (thats another topic) which sucked. I was the one getting paperwork poorly done, if done at all. They felt they could complain to me, that I was on their side. But I just wanted the work completed and many times, ended up shouldering their portion until I learned about the low hanging fruit.

The low hanging fruit at work is an easy and incremental change that anyone can adopt. Find something that takes almost no effort or makes the job visibly easier and implement that. Find more low hanging fruits to pick/changes to adopt. Once that level is mastered, these employees don't even know they have started to change. Then, you can move to the next more complex level of adopting the changes.

Many offices saw resistance with the advent of recycling. This is because it was given as a mandate with little direction as to how to recycle. The secretary was left to sort and unstaple papers and no one wanted to pick the cans out of the garbage bins. The first low hanging fruit most offices picked was to add green containers for soda can disposal. This was adopted by secretaries and CEOs alike. Then, many offices adopted the paper box where unstapled paper went. All employees were bought staple removers. These sound like little steps but they built the confidence of employees so that the employer, after a few months, could easily and fairly ask them to use recycling as they purge records. Finally, with the disposal of paper being perceived as easy, they felt confident when said office switched to paperless methods of invoicing and communications.

I liken it to teaching a toddler to write letters. I got no where trying to teach my 4 year old how to write an A or B or C et cetera... but when I broke it down and had him writing long lines and short lines and circles and curves and 'teeth' (M, W), suddenly, he understood when I said, "baby B has a line and a circle at the bottom." This technique is often used to get one's hubby to help in with chores (can you just scrub that pan from dinner and maybe the few cups in the sink?); I gotta admit I've yet to use it because my husband is a superstar in this area but I've heard it works, too:)