Best way to implement change?

What's up fellow savages?


Over the past few years, I've been an IC, and recently (start of Q2) moved to my first management role that still includes a bit of individual sales but is largely supervisory. I've been excited to provide some really cool tools and new processes for our team and we've seen good results from them. I try to do my best to sell new processes and we only build something that our team is asking for. I explain the "why" behind it and prove the value, whether it is time, more sales or something else. Everyone seems to be really into the new process!


But inevitably, two weeks later the new process isn't being utilized. I get frustrated because the team tells me they need a new process, and then I devote hundreds of hours to building it and then it isn't utilized. The team gets frustrated because I keep trying to remind them to use the new process. Ultimately, it leads to time wasted, and maybe marginal changes made.


From y'alls experience, what is the best way to implement new processes/tools? How can we avoid this struggle of back and forth? Any advice would be much appreciated.

🧢 Sales Management
🧠 Advice
🗝 Sales Enablement
3
chubbspeterson
Politicker
1
Business Development
Do you have any strong team members that support the new process, or any that would be willing to try it? If so, have one of them “pilot” the new process, then once they begin to have success with it, it will be easier to get the rest of the team to buy in. Or, if its not successful, its easier for you to work out the kinks before trying to get everyone to embrace it.
iworkinchonies
Politicker
1
Account Executive / Chronic degenerate
We do - I have worked with them to show the value and to refine processes, and the result is still the same. I think I do need to spend more time in the testing phase to make sure everything is good, so that's a good takeaway, thanks! @chubbspeterson 
chubbspeterson
Politicker
1
Business Development
No problem, good luck!
Ryase1113
Opinionated
1
Regional Director
Couple of thoughts here as there's minimal context to go off of on the new processes/tools you've implemented...

1) Feedback from the team should be generated at every stage of implementing change.  It can be in a small group of "Super Users" or anonymous feedback in a Survey Monkey or Google Sheet.  Getting direct feedback will help you refine the process to maximum efficiency.

2) Create a spiff based on some KPI or Metric that you want them to meet.  It can be activity based, revenue based, behavior based, etc.  You can gamify it to get the enforce the change that you're trying to instill, but make it achievable for everyone, communicate their progress often (send a daily contest status update), and make sure above all else that the process has value to them, otherwise as soon as the contest ends, they'll fall back into old habits.

If you want to provide more info on the types of process changes/tools that you're looking to implement that might help us to give you more specific feedback!  Hope something in there helps you!!
iworkinchonies
Politicker
1
Account Executive / Chronic degenerate
That's really good advice. I definitely will try running with some spiffs as well as surveys! I think maybe people are worried about hurting my feelings since I am a new manager? I'm not going to take direct feedback personally because I just want the tools to be helpful, so I think allowing people to be anonymous is a great idea. Thanks. 

I'm trying to be as vague as possible because I know a couple team members are in WR, mostly just looking to hear from the community how they prefer to be introduced to new processes. 
Ryase1113
Opinionated
1
Regional Director
Totally get it! Good luck!
3

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