A primary obstacle to successful change and adoption is involvement of your management team. Oftentimes, CEOs and upper-level management assume that in purchasing a new product or technology — like Salesforce — that their staff will embrace it with open arms. While some employees will attempt to make use of the new product or technology, few will wholeheartedly embrace it without concerted change management efforts.

If you are a sponsor of a new Salesforce project, your first duty is to identify a change leader with change management experience. This change leader will not only manage change by ensuring that a strategic plan is in place, but also by facilitating an interactive dialogue with those expected to execute those changes. As a sponsor, you should be in constant contact with the change leader in making sure that other management leaders are dedicated to supporting the change.

To ensure the adoption of your project, the management involved must set an example for others to follow. When staff members see their manager using Chatter or referencing reports in Salesforce, they understand the importance of using that tool. Simply put, if you want your staff to get rid of their spreadsheets and enter information in Salesforce, you must first dispose of your spreadsheets and refuse reports that contain them. Do not cede to resistance from managers and allow them to “opt out” of the change; be clear on expectations so employees are not receiving mixed signals. By communicating, modeling, and reinforcing the desired behavior, staff will experience the desired change.

Another way that the sponsor and management can help foster adoption is to involve employees and get "buy in." When employees are involved in decision making processes, they feel that their voices are heard, and thereby feel more apt to assume ownership of the project. Bluewolf has been successful in leveraging champions for Salesforce projects. These champions support their peers through communication and training. They help answer questions, proactively support newly defined processes, uncover barriers or opportunities for improvement, and reinforce consistent use of the tools. As a sponsor, your responsibility is to support employee involvement by being attentive to their feedback.

For small changes in an organization, such as instituting casual dress code Fridays, a simple email will suffice. But if implementing major changes to the way people spend their time, then a change strategy must be established. People are most apprehensive about changes to their job roles, activities, pay, or management structure. Perhaps this is due to fear of failure, job loss, disconnect from their goals, or loss of comfort from the status quo. To instill lasting change, the sponsor, management, and change leader must unite the staff around a common goal and pave an effective path to reaching that goal. If you’re looking to innovate your business processes and empower your staff, learn more about Bluewolf Change Management to see how we can help you and your staff achieve common goals.