Can Change Come From the Bottom?
The events of the last year have reminded us that social change can happen from the bottom. The groundswell of everyday people using their collective voice really does make a difference. But what about in a corporate environment? Can the same grassroots energy create change from the bottom up at your company? And should leadership encourage or resist this kind of change?
In discussing this question, our team came up with a list of three questions that can help determine if a particular change can happen from the bottom up:
Is the change you want to make tied to your company’s mission, vision or values?
Is there precedent (at your company or in your industry) for this kind of change?
Who at your company holds the levers to make this change possible?
There are many different kinds of change (technical, strategic, process-oriented, cultural, behavioral, etc.) but in general, if you can connect a change initiative to your company’s values, if you can find a precedent (in another department or another company) that relates to this change, and if you know who at the company you need on your side, you’re set up for a successful bottom-up change initiative.
Here are some things to keep in mind for successful, grassroots-inspired change:
Find alignment
Where does the change you want to see align with the company’s stated goals? If you can connect your initiative to where the organization is already going, you’re off to a strong start.
Know your audience
Who do you need on your side to make this change happen? Do they respond to passion or data? Do they want to be involved from the beginning or see that you’ve made some headway before bringing them in? Not knowing, or not understanding, the specific audience you need will almost always result in failure. Remember, your audience might be a single person, or the entire board room.
Identify communication channels
It’s likely that your company already has pre-existing channels to hear from employees at any level. Is there an Employee Resource Group (ERG) that might resonate with this change? Are there surveys or other opportunities for feedback already available to you? You’ll need to map out how to get your message up the ranks of the company.
Tell stories that inspire
Messaging is a crucial element of change. Stories can connect the people at the top of the organization to a deeper meaning. Being able to tell a clear and compelling story around your proposed change will increase your chances of success.
Bring in an expert
As you can see, there are several ingredients required to make change happen. If you’re in a position to bring in outside support, a company like Bonavox can help you built your strategy and your argument. This relationship can be integral to filtering ideas between stakeholders – no matter where change comes from or which direction it needs to flow.
For any change initiative to succeed, the “top” and the “bottom” will always need each other. The most successful, forward-looking companies are working to improve the communication conduits between employees and leaders. The executives at these companies recognize that the best ideas, and the passion needed to drive change, don’t always come from the C-suite. Instead of resisting or being antagonistic, it’s best for all parties to assume good intentions and prioritize listening to each other.