Episode 14: Six Ideas to Make Introducing Change into your Nonprofit Easier

May 30, 2019

by: Sheela Nimishakavi

As the saying goes, “the only constant is change.” Well, if that’s the case, why is it so hard to deal with?

Introducing change into your nonprofit can be incredibly challenging. Emotions run high, teammates dig their heels in, exclaiming, “But, we’ve always done it this way.”

*cringe*

As challenging as it is, bringing innovation to the nonprofit sector is not only a good thing to do, it’s necessary for organizations to serve their communities.

In this episode, I discuss why it’s so hard for individuals to accept change and I share six tips that can make the change management process a bit easier.

Highlights from this episode:

  • [5:25] When introducing change into your organization, you’re up against thousands of years of evolution that taught us to resist change
  • [8:48] As the need for organizations to embrace change has been increasing, our ability to adapt is shrinking
  • [10:13] Engage the entire team in identifying what changed need to be made
  • [11:00] Break the change process down into manageable, bitesized pieces
  • [12:54] Highlight every milestone and success along the way
  • [14:10] Create an organizational culture that embraces change
  • [15:43] Open the floor for two-way communication
  • [18:05] Recognize and honor past work and staff contributions
  • [19:23] Introducing change can be challenging, but it’s a challenge worth taking on. You can do this!

Resources cited in this episode:
Forbes, 1 Reason Why Change Management Fails
IBM, Making Change Work

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