You’re about to completely change someone’s operations, tools, and ways of working. How do you start that conversation with them?
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Communicate, be very clear and offer details and examples of each point. Let them feel comfortable and delegate tasks so they can apply those new skills as soon as possible so they can see results, be there for them and mentor them.
My strategy and experience have always been: present the facts. Lead with data, and let the data, let the facts, tell their own story. All through the acquisitions and integrations, I found that ultimately, everyone does want to do the right thing, and people are collaborative. What really, really helps is when you're able to draw the big picture and actually show the benefits that are coming out of, let's say, a particular process that you're looking to influence. “This is A, and this is B. And this is what the customer is getting through this experience, and this is where we are today.” If you have data and facts to support that, then that's even more goodness right there.
Another important piece is, identify early certain champions across the different organizations that can then help champion on your behalf. That's an area where I feel like I can improve. Part of it is time, part of it is patience. If you can actually take the time to have those one-on-one conversations with key people, with key champions, and build that that rapport where you put all the cards on the table and establish a framework of trust, then you’ll be amazed when you then take that conversation to a broader group of people, and you find that those champions actually become your change agents.
1 - New knowledge, new experiences, new challenges. 2 - how those that new knowledge and skills makes you more valuable to the company. 3 - how those new skills enhance your resumé. 4 - What is expected from you and how you are going to be supported/couched if needed.