Forget Incremental Change: Change Everything
It’s tempting to try to manage the risk associated with change by keeping it small and self-contained: if it goes badly, at least it’s walled off from other parts of the organization. But small change is not any easier; in fact, it’s often the same amount of work plus the effort to keep the change from impacting other areas. And if you’re focused on not making waves, you won’t be making much of a positive impact either.
Making many changes—either simultaneously or sequentially—is easier and typically results in better outcomes.
1. When change is the norm, both staff and consituents become less change resistent. It’s harder to be emotionally attached to a year-old habit than a 10-year-old habit.
2. Consistent demonstrations of change make staff think about their day-to-day work differently. Showing people examples of significant, impactful change is a great way to eliminate the phrase “because we’ve always done it like that” from your team’s vocabulary.
3. Big change means big impact. When the positive impact of a change feels substantial, it makes growing pains seem more tolerable–to both staff and constituents.
Case Study: A New Membership Program
It can be tempting to make only small, incremental tweaks to a membership program. After all, if it’s delivering consistent revenue, why put that at risk? Is there really that much to be gained?
I’ve led multiple membership program restructures and the most successful ones are those that reimagine the program from the ground up. New levels, new names, new prices, and reorganized benefits: all possibilities that should be considered.
Is that a more arduous planning process? Absolutely. Is implementation harder? Yes, sometimes. But does it result in increased revenue and happier members? 100%. Revenue gains of 10%+ are absolutely possible–I’ve done it. With an enthusiastic team and member feedback rates of <1%.
With thoughtful change leadership, this kind of growth is possible for membership programs of all sizes, from 1,000 members to 100,000 members. Given the prospect of more revenue, happier members, and a team that learns to embrace and seek out change, why wouldn’t you go big?
Change will always be uncomfortable, but if you want to continue to deliver on your mission in the years to come, it’s not optional. Make the most of it by going big: put everything on the table and reexamine your fundamentals.
