Due to the rapid infiltration of technology, there is no getting away from change in business. And if your people aren’t with you, they’ll work against you, sometimes consciously and sometimes subconsciously because as humans we are wired to resist change. For some, it is the enormity of the challenge. For some the fear of not seeing themselves as digitally savvy. And for others the worry that it may even take away or change their job as they know it.
The media industry is one such industry that had truly felt the impact of a new digital world, with a clear shift to the consumption of news into the online space, and the decline of print. Equally as hard hit are sales divisions who are now excluded from the ability to teach their potential customers and build relations.
Independent News Media (INM), one of South Africa’s leading multi-platform content companies, recognised this problem and sought to address it head on. With a sales team embedded in a history of print, they recognised real behavioural change was needed to embrace the continual change their aggressive digital transformation strategy was bringing.
Burning Platform vs. Exciting Opportunity
As a starting point it was important to reframe the change. A commonly held belief is that old media houses are dying. This brings with it a view that change is needed to avoid the burning platform and a dying business. Culturally this frame of thinking leads to protectionism rather than the innovation needed to drive a new exciting business of the future.
Working with the sales leadership team we sought to create a different stance. To rally them around an exciting vision of a digitally savvy and enabled sales team. One with smoother processes and better communication brought about through better technology and a team that sought to help rather than sell. A fun place to work and partner with clients.
Single-Page, More Speed
With this exciting new opportunity WWC then worked with the key stakeholders to upskill and transfer that excitement. At the ground level change fatigue can be a real problem, but with newly inspired line management a new belief can become contagious.
Coaching leadership on change management, providing training tools, celebrating quick wins and rewarding the right type of new behaviour, only goes to reinforce what is required to move the business forward.
It’s an ongoing journey but with a committed leadership INM is already starting to see small innovation hubs develop, and long-term success will follow.
