4 steps for implementing successful change

By Jenny Yu.  

Clear expectations, personal value, measured adoption and ongoing reinforcement help transform new initiatives into lasting company standards. 

Human nature is to avoid change, and this was the topic of focus in a recent Ingage webinar titled “From Suggested to Standard: Embedding Sales Behaviors That Stick.” In the webinar, Ingage spoke with Corey Cousins, vice president of sales and training at Destination Motivation, about how to successfully implement change without losing consistency, accountability or revenue.  

Corey laid out a four-step, standardized framework for companies to follow when implementing change: expectations, value, measurement and reinforcement. 

1 – Set clear expectations 

The first step to implementing a successful change, according to Corey, is to define what "right” looks like.  

“Expectation is the key to success, without a doubt,” Corey said. “If we know what the expectations are, you can aim to exceed them.” 

Corey emphasized that these expectations need to be specific, measurable and clear. 

2 – Communicate value 

“Give your employees a personal reason to adopt the change, a reason to believe that overcoming the pain of change is worth it,” Corey stated. 

This includes standing firm on the change itself, removing variability in implementation. Making something optional, Corey explained, signals low strategic priority. “If it's not required, it can't be that critical, right? Making something optional absolutely kills the implementation in most cases. Not only that, but it also removes urgency.” 

3 – Measure adoption and outcomes 

After communicating the expectations and reasons why a change is occurring, the next step is to measure the adoption, not just the outcomes, of the change.  

“The measurement aspect is key,” Corey said. “What isn't measured isn't managed.” 

Daily or weekly inspections can track the efficacy of the change. Corey also pointed to the power of reviewing adoption data publicly, saying, “Scoreboards are pulse checks and show that winning is non-negotiable. Transparency drives peer accountability.” 

4 – Reinforce the change 

You can have strong processes, clear expectations and the best game plan in place, but if you're not reinforcing a change, it won’t stick. Accountability is a must.  

“Everything becomes muscle memory if you repeat it enough,” Corey said. “If we don't reinforce changes, existing habits win. When things get stressful, we revert to what’s comfortable. So there needs to be comfort in the new avenue, or the new change.” 

Building this comfortability requires adopting a change into the overall operations and culture of a business. “It's never done in a single try, right?” Corey said. “Standards aren't installed in one training. They're built into the operating rhythm of your business overall. It needs to become cultural.” 

Watch the full webinar to learn more insights into how to implement change that sticks.