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Do you want to accelerate processes in the company, reduce redundancies and enable interlinked work? Yes? Your decision: This requires digitization! So Project management tools are evaluated, prices compared and then the decision for the cloud-based system is made. The rollout and the training courses are taking place and… all employees complain about the double burden. But even worse: hardly anyone uses the new project management tool. How can that be?
Prerequisites for implementing something new is the mindset
Do you know how you have to get used to the changed look and the new features after an operating system update on your cell phone? How do you react to the next message “Update available”? Do you hesitate or do you click on “Install update” right away?
It probably depends! If you don’t have any major problems with the current (operating) system or if you find changes tiring, you will delay the update. If you find updates useful or important and you are perhaps also curious about the new features, you will click on the “Install update” button immediately.
This means that how we humans behave when using new digital tools depends on the experience we have had so far – and the resulting individual attitude towards it. Without a real, inner “yes, that’s useful”, we are hesitant and using a new digital tool will even fail.
The digital transformation not only requires new thinking but also patience
Installing new project management tools and thus defining new processes in companies is of course bigger than updating the operating system of a mobile phone. Before an implementation of new software tools in the company, analyses are made, goals are defined and resources are allocated. Remember that in addition to the resources of time and money, also the resource of patience is required!
Patience, so that everyone can deal with the new and get to know it. Patience, so that the usual behavior, processes and thus also ways of thinking can be left behind and new behavior and thinking can be learned. Patience to listen to objections. Patience to always keep the goal and the benefit in mind.
New implementation takes place on different levels: the tools, skills and knowledge on the technical-factual level. Behaviour, thinking and feeling on the human-emotional level. If you want to implement something new, you not only need time and money in your company, but your employees also need the right mindset and patience.
Success factors for the implementation of new digital tools:
- Involve those affected: Present your project. Explain the reasons for this and the goal. Why should the new be implemented? What would be better?
- Question the mindset: What do the employees think of the goal, e.g. the new digital tools and processe?
- Acknowledge objections and reluctance. Listen to the feedback! Adjust if necessary, accept suggestions for improvement. But stay true to the big goal.
- As a manager, leader or project manager, regularly ask how things are going. Persistantly demand implementation, even if it sounds and feels like a cracked record.
- Notice small successes and talk about them. Appreciate the use of the new digital tools and processes.
Integrate the workforce when introducing new tools and stand behind them as management
My experience is: Even if the idea was initially presented to everyone and approved by management and staff: it still takes more to implement something new! Namely to take care, to ask, to empathize and also to demand and follow up. Especially when working with the new tool takes longer, seems (more) complicated or impractical, we humans like to fall back into the old patterns of thought and behavior. The new processes are ignored.
What helps here? Continuous encouragement, prompting and persuasion to please use the new tools. And praise when things keep getting better! This task lies with the management, the leader or the project manager. You approach your colleagues, listen, discuss the objections and don’t stop promoting the new digital tool.
Staying tuned means perseverance – and with it the implementation of something new.
Congratulations!
Claudia Seidel
Coaching Methods
Installing new digital tools and processes in companies, questioning attitudes and adapting behavior requires organizational development over a longer period of time with different coaching methods. I will coordinate this with you on an ongoing basis.
In the strategy workshop, for example, I use the 7S model. Individual interviews or surveys with the 3 levels of reality and a myth change involving the workforce help to create awareness. Workshops and retrospectives or other methods such as the 5K value management questions can solidify new thinking and behavior. Individual coachings help to reflect on obstacles.
Organizational development is very individual, so please ask for an initial consultation.
As a former employee in international teams, product manager and managing director, for years I experienced the difference between executives who manage their employees and executives who lead their employees; the difference between the coexistence of colleagues and the alignment of teams. Exploring this background and passing on my knowledge to employees, leaders, managers, business partners, management boards and teams has meanwhile become my profession. Benefit from my expertise:
- More than 19 years of experience in personnel, organization and team development.
- More than 1,000 hours of coaching for specialists, executives and teams
- professionally educated and continuously trained in various methods such as Scrum, Design Thinking, ORSC (TM) etc.