By Michael Fields

If there’s one constant in business, and life, it’s change. And, that’s never been more true than today. Being able to adapt to it is the hallmark of a strong organization. But as critical as it is to an organization’s success, it’s not easy. Leaders of institutions and companies often find employees and customers are resistant to—even afraid of—change.

Leaders must help them understand that shifts in services provided as well as organizational policy, procedures and practices provide strategic advantage in a changing marketplace. Leaders need to demonstrate that change stimulates innovation. It’s this innovation that will bring success, sustained growth, and satisfaction among employees and customers.

So, how exactly can leaders help their employees and customers embrace change? They must be transparent, consistent, and above all, they must be clear on where they are going.

Leaders must communicate changes openly and honestly with employees across the organization and to customers as these changes affect the type of services the company provides. Everyone responds to various types of communication differently, some preferring a formal presentation while others embrace the informal dialogue of a community forum, for example. Leveraging many channels helps to ensure that everyone is listening.

Leaders must be able to ensure that these changes—no matter how large or small they might be—are consistently realized throughout the organization. Employees must know how to deliver on these changes in a uniform fashion. This makes shifting initiatives more manageable and less scary. It also ensures that the customers receive new services correctly and consistently and reinforces the brand image in the customers’ eyes because the company is doing what it said it would do.

Finally, leaders need to be clear on the organization’s mission and their plan for realizing it. Clarity of mission inspires people. Alignment with the right plan puts the wood behind the arrow, providing purpose and setting expectations. It’s this alignment that places change in proper context and truly drives an organization of any size.

At KANA, we have undergone such change in earnest to transform ourselves from an early provider of customer service solutions to innovators in the broader field of service experience management (SEM). Our latest product release, KANA 10, is the embodiment of how to successfully embrace change.