In addition to my work with Leadercast, I help nonprofit organizations raise funds for their mission.
In the early stages of our engagement, we have them write a case statement. The case statement provides the source material for their messaging throughout their fundraising efforts.
Simply put, the case statement answers two questions: 1. Why? 2. Why Now?
In this blog series, we’re excited to dive into the topic of leading change. One key aspect we’ll explore is how important it is to clearly express the WHY behind the changes we are making.
Simon Sinek’s seminal work Start With Why articulates this principle for the larger organization this way:
“Very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do. When I say WHY, I don’t mean to make money—that’s a result. By WHY I mean what is your purpose, cause or belief? WHY does your company exist? WHY do you get out of bed every morning? And WHY should anyone care?”
The same principle applies to making changes within your organization. People need to understand WHY you are making the changes you are making.
How do I know this is important?
I have messed this up countless times in the last thirty years.
Recently, we made significant changes to our workflow and sales tracking. We implemented a new CRM, and I worked out how we wanted to track the sales process. I then told everyone what we were doing and how we were doing it, but I did not sufficiently describe WHY we were doing it differently.
Why did I not explain WHY?
Because I had thought about it so much, it was clear in my mind, but it was not clear in everyone else’s minds.
Our team is fantastic, so they worked with me and extended my grace. We are progressing toward implementing the new process. But the whole process would have gone better if I had started with WHY.
So, the next time you lead change, I encourage you to take a beat and write a case statement for change. Simply answer two questions: 1. Why? 2. Why now?
You are not ready to lead change if you can’t answer those questions. And taking an hour to write a case statement for the change will save you hours in the long run.