Training Industry Magazine - March/April 2018 - 9

GUEST EDITOR
JUDI BADER, CPTM

HOW TO BE A

CHANGE CHAMPION

No matter the change that we might be
facing, those who are willing to embrace
change and possibly even look for it, are
working toward making a difference in
our lives and the lives of others.
While not every change is positive for
everyone, let's look at how one change
has positively impacted the world:
the evolution of cellphones. The first
cellphone was invented almost 45
years ago. Martin Cooper, an engineer
and general manager for Motorola,
successfully developed the first portable
phone in 1973. However, it was not
until the 2000s that cellphones became
more widely available and affordable.
We can see just how impactful this
change turned out to be for so many
of us. People across the globe have
embraced not only having a cellphone
but the many day-to-day advantages
it offers.

change in the way we communicate it -
be that positive or negative.
Technology is a prime example of how
one might either embrace change or
shy away from it. For instance, the use

EVERYONE IS
UNIQUE WHEN IT
COMES TO CHANGE.
of emerging technologies in education.
Over the years we've seen a huge
difference in how the school system
has adapted to new technologies,
both within the classroom and
communication with parents.

As leaders, we have the power to either
build excitement through change or
instill stress or even fear in others. That's
quite a bit of power to have, and it's a
choice we all make with every change
we are responsible for.

Children are using computers as part
of their everyday routine and are
constantly exposed to new programs,
software and other technical updates.
Yet, they thrive in that constant learning
and ever-changing environment. They
have been able to take their familiarity
with technology to the next level by
becoming the cellphone experts in our
society. While I can't speak for everyone,
the student-teacher relationship is
reversed with my cellphone - my kids
show me the newest tricks!

While some changes that are cascaded
down the organization are beyond our
control, we do have a choice in how we
respond to them. Whether it's a direct
report, a peer, or even a customer,
the people around us will experience

Everyone is unique when it comes to
change. We will either seek it, embrace
it, or avoid it, but the one thing we all
have in common is that we can change.
The key ingredient to successful change
is communication.

OUR RESPONSE TO CHANGE
IS A CHOICE

Be as transparent as possible and people
will trust you. To truly make change
work, we need to get everyone involved.
So how do we get people to buy in?
Understanding what's important to the
people around us and what they need
is a good place to start. Remember the
WIIFM (what's in it for me) rule? Learn to
recognize how to connect the change
with WIIFM for those affected by the
change, and make this a communication
priority throughout the process.
HELP SPONSOR THE CHANGE
For organizations to be successful,
change must happen. So, what really
makes change stick? It's the people
who take action and are willing to be
champions for the change at hand.
Champions are people who are willing
to advocate for change, not slow growth
with resistance and negativity.
Think of the many experiences in
your life and reflect on how they have
impacted you. Some good, and perhaps
some not. All in all, you have likely
learned something in every situation.
As you lead others, remember to show
your sponsorship for change in an
encouraging way, so that you may allow
others to be part of something that
could potentially be the greatest change
in their life or for your organization.
Judi Bader, CPTM, is the senior director of
learning at Arby's Restaurant Group, where
she provides leadership and training support
to approximately 3,500 Arby's restaurants,
consisting of about 70,000 team members.
Email Judi.

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - LEAD THE CHANGE 20 18 I WWW. T RAININGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - March/April 2018