In the modern world change is required for your team to thrive and be successful. A company’s ability to change can be a significant source of competitive advantage.

Here are some ways to help your organization deal with change:

* Communicate frequently: Yes, it’s important to communicate why the change is being made, but you also need to consider what your team members are thinking. When forming your communications plan, make sure you consider what’s important to them and how it might benefit your team.

Your communications should inform, inspire and motivate the team to take action and get behind what is required.

* Tell the right story: When talking about why change is required, it’s best to use a story format that promotes a positive future.

Make them feel like a part of what is being done, so they have ownership. If the change involves negative news, get the bad stuff out of the way. You don’t want to announce a little negative news every Friday. Your team will spend their weeks wondering about what will happen next, instead of focusing on what needs to be done.

* Identify champions: As humans we are creatures of habit. We want to do things the way we always have, or we get uncomfortable.