9 October 2024

Tips to help manage change better

Change. It’s inevitable. Unavoidable. And causes Legal a lot of challenges. Here are some key tips to help manage change better:

Ask questions. This helps you to assess the appetite for change.

Engage early. Smooth change depends on leadership buy-in, collaboration and robust relationships. Engaging with people early in the process makes them more likely to be ambassadors than detractors.

Be clear. It’s essential that you are clear about your role and vision for change. Otherwise, you could end up project managing the entire project!

Communicate. Explain the rationale and vision to your team. It’s the simplest way to get everyone on board, working towards a common goal.

Be structured in your approach. Develop a change management plan that identifies:
– the people leading and supporting the change process;
– the stakeholders to be consulted;
– a communications strategy;
– the tools and systems to be used; and
– the timetable for change.

Listen and adjust as needed. If you set up good processes early, including leadership buy-in, regular feedback and good communication, you’re poised for success.

We’ve created a legal change management cheat sheet. You can also learn more in the Front Foot Academy Legal Change Management Module.