We’ve all known people who think they’re too special or unique to follow the usual rules of society — and companies can also fall into this trap. Every business owner wants to believe that no company in the world is quite like theirs. And it’s true that they may have a unique product offering, target a customer segment nobody else is reaching, or have values that are unlike all other businesses in their niche. 

But none of this translates into being able to divert from the usual business playbook. Here’s why no company is immune to the need for change management.  

The devil’s in the details
Ultimately, a business is no greater than the sum of its parts, and that comes down to operations. How do you onboard new employees? What does your sales process look like? These processes make up the DNA of your organization — and if you’re not monitoring them carefully and tweaking them along the way, things can start to go seriously wrong. 

A strong vision is a crucial component for a company to achieve success. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only component needed. Sometimes, companies focus so much on the big picture and the mission they’re working toward that they neglect the smaller details. For instance, you might take pride in your organization being non-hierarchical and be reluctant to force people to impose a new way of doing things.  

But in most cases, managers are kidding themselves about how much their team and revenue benefit from maintaining the status quo. We recommend process mapping so you can get a better idea of what your company’s operations actually look like and identify areas where things could be improved. If there are clear areas where there are gaps or problems, why would you overlook that? 

The perfect formula isn’t static 
Research suggests that 70% of companies undergo four significant changes every five years. So even if you have the perfect formula when you implemented your original processes, there’s no guarantee the recipe will still work a few years down the line. 

For instance, technology is offering new ways to boost productivity and automate our tasks — Excel might have been the most efficient choice ten years ago, but it rarely is today. 

Failing to look for new solutions will likely mean you’re missing out. This applies to practically all sectors. 

It’s not all about leaders and managers 
A process might sound great in theory to founders and managers, but that doesn’t mean it translates well to the rest of the team. A diehard commitment to doing things the way they’ve always been done might sound good to you, but that doesn’t mean it will work for your organization as a whole. 

Founders especially may view their business as their baby, meaning they build up emotional resistance to changing operations and processes. They’re also prone to micromanaging and trying to turn their employees into their clones, meaning they’re not open to ideas about doing things differently. 

A third-party or consultant plays a crucial role in identifying these blindspots and helping everyone work together to change for the better. However, this can bring its own set of rejections, which we’ll come to next. 

You can find a consultant that “gets it”
Change transformation usually means working with a consultant, and some businesses are reluctant to do this because they don’t think a third party would understand their vision. It’s true that not every consultancy will be the right fit for every business, but if you’re willing to go through a little trial and error, you’ll be able to find one that can. Most consultancies offer a free consultation, which is an opportunity to learn more about how they work and see if they understand your vision. 

Besides, a good consultant should offer you choices and aim for collaboration — their suggestions should be a top-down implementation. They should also take an agile approach by testing out different approaches in the simplest form possible to get feedback and results before they fully commit. 

Say goodbye to the special phase
Don’t run your company like a stubborn teenager who’s convinced they’re right. Most of the common objections to changing operations stem from false beliefs that will only hold your company back — the world is always changing, and your business needs to change with it. 

At Cornerstone Paradigm Consulting, we take a patient and flexible approach to change management to account for the unique features of your business. If you’d like to find out more, contact us to schedule a consultation.