Changing with the Times

Forecast: Change
Here’s how to help your sales staff deal with new ways

Question:
We recently introduced new forecasting software to help our sales people prioritize their accounts and penetrate their territories better. Some have embraced the technology and some are dragging their feet. How can I get my salespeople to change?
Answer:
How many times have you written 1999 on your checks this new year? Changing old habits is difficult. There are really two significant issues that you need to address with your sales people regarding change; motivation and fear.
Motivation for change happens when you desire something new and the old ways of doing things are no longer desirable. The advertising industry has realized this for years. Most good car ads place you in the driver's seat. After repeatedly "driving" the new car, the old becomes less desirable subconsciously until finally you have to have a new vehicle. If you really want to get someone to change, you need to help them see that the old ways are undesirable in comparison to the new. This will only happen if this motivation for the new is aligned with the salesperson's personal goals. If a salesperson has personally accomplished their major goals in life, and they don't see a need to push themselves, you will have a very difficult time motivating them to change.
Recently, I helped a sales manager with territory planning. He was torn with what to do with a particular territory, because the salesperson was not reaching the potential customers and was perfectly content with what he was personally producing. The salesperson had very little left to pay on his mortgage, all the kids had completed college and he liked to take time off to go fishing. If the sales manager offered additional incentives for this salesperson to make more money, it would have made very little difference. So, the only real way to motivate this person would be to show them a way to find more time for fishing! My recommendation? Split the territory and hire another salesperson.
If you have determined that there is indeed motivation for change, then realize that change is just plain difficult for people. It's harder for some than others to break old habits. It is necessary for us to move through four stages with any change, yet some move through the change cycle quicker than others do. It's your job as a manager to recognize which stage your salespeople are in and help them move through each without getting stuck in any particular stage.

Strategies for Dealing With The Phases of Change

Denial — This is the very first stage of the change cycle. Change is announced and people don't initially accept it. People are in withdrawal - "business as usual". Your salespeople will focus on the past and continue to do what they always have done with little regard for the announcement of change. Sometimes managers confuse this phase with commitment because there is very little resistance. Let individuals know the change will happen and simply give them time to let it sink in.
Resistance — This is the second phase of change. Your people start to realize that you're serious about the change. They focus on the personal impact on them and are often upset, negative or angry. Common emotions expressed are anger, blame, anxiety, and depression. Productivity often dips and there is sometimes a feeling of “The company doesn't care any more.” Sometimes managers try to conduct team building exercises or attempt to set goals during this phase. It's too early for this. Instead, simply listen, acknowledge feelings and support and encourage your people.
Exploration — This is where change really starts to happen. Your people finally realize that the software program is here to stay and they start to experiment. There's often a lot of chaos and confusion during this phase. You will see energy, over preparation, confusion, new ideas and lack of focus. During this phase, focus on priorities. Provide any needed training. Work with short-term goals.
Commitment — This is the final phase of change and your ultimate goal as a manager. At this stage, your people are ready to focus on a long-term plan. Employees begin working together. There is cooperation and focus. Set long-term goals during this phase and concentrate on team building.

Think You’re Too Set In Your Ways to Try Something New?
• Actor George Burns won his first Oscar at age 80.
• Golda Meir was 71 when she became the first prime minister of Isreal.
• At age 96, playwright George Bernard Shaw broke his leg when he fell out of a tree he was trimming in his backyard.
• Painter Grandma Moses didn't start painting until she was 80 years old. She completed over 1,500 paintings after that; 25 percent were produced after she was over 100.
• Michelangelo was 71 when he painted the Sistine Chapel.
• S.I. Hayakawa retired as president of San Francisco State University at 70, then was elected to the U.S. Senate.
• Casey Stengel didn't retire from managing the New York Mets until he was 75.

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