When a change initiative begins to have problems or when complaints begin to surface, it’s a hard space to be in. It’s a place where everybody feels the tension – leaders might push harder than normal, business teams pulled back, and the whole effort might feel like it’s unravelling. But those moments can be powerful turnaround opportunities.
Let’s explore some situations where an active step was taken to steer change back on course, building momentum towards success.
Recognise the Roadblocks – When Change Doesn’t Land Well
A worldwide retail company implements a new inventory control system aimed at improving efficiency and cutting down on out-of-stocks. But soon after launch, employees feel swamped, and some revert to internal manual tracking systems just to keep up. Instead of struggling in silence, internal users share their stories with the project team, who quickly step in to understand what’s going wrong.
The system is brought in with the best of intentions. But when it comes time to show people how to use the new system, the developers deliver training that simply isn’t on-the-job relevant. When it comes to a real-life store environment, there isn’t enough time or space to adapt the tool to work in the best way.
So, the project team repurposes a session that had previously been set up as a recap to the previous training, to a focused working group with the store teams. The session troubleshoots a series of scenarios that enable a clear, mutual understanding of the steps necessary to make the system fit in with a store associate’s daily routine.
Engage the Team in Solutions – Aligning Goals and Processes
Think about a business that wants a tool for improving the speed at which they serve their customers. They want a swifter solution, something that is more streamlined, when it comes to their processes, yet to standardize, they make the new workflow just a tad too rigid. And there is this unfortunate phenomenon that accompanies it: the employees whom this workflow governs are not happy. They are forced to use an inefficient system that serves them poorly, causing them to work in ways that are clunky and not user-friendly.
Instead of attempting to drive the project forward with no changes, the project lead engages the team in a candid conversation. The team provides crucial intelligence: flexibility is very important to them; it is how they give the customers the best experience with their product. The team co-creates a version of the workflow that makes sense for them, one that allows the team to move fast but still be flexible. This is a hard thing to do! When team members see that their insights matter, it creates momentum, driven by ownership and enthusiasm. And that is a win for everyone!
Clarify the Message – Replacing Uncertainty with Confidence
Here is another situation: A new regional pricing policy, set by a retailer, is supposed to better align with local market demands. But the rollout is bumpy. Regional teams don’t have a clear roadmap. Prices become inconsistent. Customers express frustration. Messy, right? And all because the initial communication was too broad and left too much room for interpretation.
Instead of forcing teams to "get it right" on their own, leadership provide extra support. They schedule targeted workshops with each region to tackle queries and support them with specific instructions. The leadership team ditches their generic communications plan; replacing it with precise, workable plans that each region can implement without second-guessing. By steering in such a clear, direct way, the senior team ensures that everyone is working in sync, with structured paths for feedback and proactive improvements.
Corrective Change Management: Realigning for Success
In every one of these cases, we see a common thread. When change goes awry, it’s not typically because of outright resistance. Instead, it’s often due to breakdowns in clarity, support, or alignment.
If you want to foster a culture where your people feel free to acknowledge challenges and where they feel supported to overcome those challenges, then these corrective change management tips will help get you there.
Ready to Get Your Change Journey Back on Track with Lean Tree?
At Lean Tree, we understand that every change initiative, no matter how complex, can be a success. If your teams are having trouble adapting to new ways of working, it’s a signal, not a setback!
Contact us to help you:
Understand what the real barriers are to change.
Engage cascaded dialogue with affected groups.
Work to find solutions that build confidence and clarity.
Reach out to Lean Tree today to find out how we can help you turn roadblocks into lasting, meaningful change.
