It isn’t always possible to predict the future or create a plan for every possible scenario, but successful organizations are able to anticipate and adapt to changes they encounter. They stay focused on their mission and goals, and their change management strategy remains consistent with their organizational purpose.

As a leader, it is your responsibility to be looking to the future, keeping your team headed in the right direction and planning several steps ahead of the present moment. Setting goals is an important part of this leadership role, but achieving those goals requires not only your personal vision but also the work and support of your employees.

Develop an Effective Change Management Plan

1. Have a clear mission statement.

A mission statement can be as simple as a single sentence or as thorough as a full page of text; it is simply important that your organization creates one and keeps it updated. Your mission statement should be a broad overview of who you are and what you do, clearly outlining your purpose, your areas of specialization, your market or demographic and your vision for success. Everyone in your organization should have a copy of this statement and be invested in these ideals.

Spelling out these essential components will simplify the process of setting goals. Goals will be much more specific than your mission statement, and they will set precise, measurable targets for your organization to strive for. They will help align the priorities for you and your employees, identify problems and needs and define the measures of success.

2. Address problem-solving goals.

A big part of change management is determining what is working well and what needs to be improved. Examine the overall operations of your team and see what small and large adjustments you could make for a more effective performance. Take feedback from your employees into account, and explain the reasoning behind any changes you make.

3. Develop ongoing and big picture goals.

Setting goals is more than simply solving problems. You should also create goals that improve the day-to-day functioning of the organization– from improving employee engagement to raising customer service ratings. Challenge your employees to think about long-term or goals as well. Where do you want to be six months from now? A year? Two years? Revisit your mission statement and develop a far-reaching plan that will keep you ahead of the curve.

How do you go about setting goals in your organization? How does it help your change management strategy?

Learn more about EDSI’s change management courses.