Change – It’s Personal

An excellent blog post by Vaughan Merlyn on personal change and change management;

But the real point is a lesson in change management. If my colleagues had known, or had flushed out my personal value system, and related the change in browser to my “need for speed” I would have jumped at the change – no hesitation. Instead, they threw features at me, or benefits that I just did not relate to or was not interested in.

As a Business Technology Manager in the SMB/SME space, I know that change is an ongoing battle.

(you know it is a challenge when I use a word like “Battle” don’t you?)

When I see a phone call that requires 5 people to have a meeting to gather 3 small data points regarding a single project – and I know that I can put those data points within a few mouse clicks – it can seem so obvious to “Git ‘R Done”.

But it is change.

It’s the way it was “always done”

As Mr. Merlyn points out – it all comes down to WIFM – “What’s in it for me”

I know that it is incumbent upon me to present, and articulate WIFM to those 5 people. And I know that I ain’t no natural “sales guy”.

I know that to articulate it, I have to go in with open questions and options – because I will not always know with full accuracy the WIFM buttons of each of those 5 people.

Is it stepping out of the comfort zone? Sure.

Is it necessary? – You better believe it!

Tips from SMB/SME Managers on how they prefer technolgy change recommendations always welcome!