We've already addressed that most human beings resist change. And chances are your employees are no exception. Once you've identified the need for change and charted your new direction, how do you get your employees to embrace it? One way is to enforce change from the top down. Like the old shampoo commercial, you tell your staff, and they tell their staff, and so on. But chances are, somewhere not very far down the line, your employees will become resentful at having change forced upon them. As an alternative, you might identify those employees who are not adverse to change and designate them your change champions. First, form a workgroup of change-receptive employees. Ask them to identify problems within the organization. Assign them the task of brainstorming viable solutions. Through your instructions, plant the seeds of the changes you desire, and then let them bring it to fruition. Now, the proposed changes will be perceived as a positive, voluntary step conceived by the employees themselves-not as a top-down order. What a difference that perception will make! Still think the change process will be a tough sell? You can always hire a consultant to do your dirty work. Case Study: Al Al, whose company manufacturers building components, wanted to upgrade to a computerized drafting system. The problem: in the past, his employees demonstrated strong resistance to such change. This time, rather than launch an all-out conversion, Al quietly introduced the system to a few select, forward-thinking employees. He told them he wanted their input. One such employee was the shop foreman, a no-nonsense guy highly respected by his peers. Impressed by the software, the shop foreman declared it would make everyone's job easier. Hearing this, the other employees embraced the system-something they would never have done without the foreman's endorsement. Nothing stays the same, especially in today's business climate. If your company cannot adapt, it will become extinct. If your company is to grow, it needs to exist in a constant state of evolution. When it comes to continued success, change is the only constant.