Co-Founder Taliferro
Introduction
When I first joined the consulting world, I was excited and energetic, eager to make a difference and do what was best for the organization. I had high hopes for the future and believed that my ideas and suggestions would be welcomed with open arms. However, my optimism was quickly met with reality when I discovered that things were not as simple as I had imagined.
What Does It Mean to Champion Change in Consulting?
Championing change in consulting means standing up for better ways of working even when it is uncomfortable. It involves spotting waste or broken processes, gathering evidence, listening to stakeholders, and calmly pushing for improvements instead of accepting the phrase, "that's just how we do things here." Over time, this persistence can shift how a team thinks about problems and open the door to real organizational improvement.
Speaking Up
I began to raise concerns about certain practices that I thought could be improved upon and suggested alternatives that I believed would be more efficient and cost-effective. However, my ideas were often met with resistance and skepticism. I was told I was naive and that "that's not how things work around here."
Status Quo
I quickly realized that the company was entrenched in its ways and was not open to change. I was faced with a difficult choice: should I continue to push for change and risk being seen as a troublemaker, or should I keep my head down and go along with the status quo?
Persistence
I decided to continue pushing for change, believing it was the right thing to do for the company and the employees. I knew it would not be easy, but it was my duty to speak up and make a difference.
I gathered data and research to support my ideas and presented them clearly and logically. I also made sure to build relationships with key stakeholders and to understand their concerns and goals.
Slowly but surely, my ideas began to gain traction. My colleagues and superiors started to see my ideas' value and support my efforts. I demonstrated the benefits of my suggestions and how they would positively impact the company.
It was a challenging road with many challenges and setbacks. But in the end, my persistence and determination paid off. The company implemented my suggestions and saw significant efficiency and cost savings improvements.
Learning
I learned an important lesson through this experience: change is not always easy but is often necessary. I also learned that it is essential to stay true to your beliefs and not to be discouraged by those who say, "that's not how things work around here."
Conclusion
It is more important than ever to be open to new ideas and strive for improvement constantly. It is up to us to do what's best for the company and not be afraid to speak up and make a difference.
If your organization is stuck in "that's not how things work around here," our Agile project management and change consulting services can help you build support for new ideas, reduce resistance, and move from talking about change to actually doing it.
Tyrone Showers