Organizations have to change to adapt to the modern world. The problem is, you run the risk of antagonizing your membership audience. Not only do you have to lead the changes in your organization, but you also have to bear in mind the effect it will have on your supporters.
Whether you are a charity, non-profit or just a local sports club, there are plenty of things you can do to help them. This guide will show you how.
Communicate
Share your ideas and plans with your members. If you keep them in the loop, they will be better placed to prepare for the big change. Run focus groups or hold meetings to address any concerns head on. Showing you can communicate will give your members the impression that they are listened to and respected. If you don’t do this, you run the risk of losing them.
Educate & Simplify
Let’s say you run a church and are building a website for your parishioners. A sizeable proportion of your congregation could be completely unaware of how to use the web, and may not understand the benefits. If this is the case, your church website has to be very simple to use, and you should give them clear instructions of how to use it. Give them those instructions in a form that they are used to. For example, a simple paragraph with instructions on how to login to the website can be placed on the parish handout that you give out after mass.
Make It Useful
Members of organizations tend to be of ‘boomer’ age. That means that they are more likely to adopt new technology if they can see the benefits it will bring. While they can embrace change, they are more careful than, say, millennials, who are far more open to trying new things. Boomers play safe and take the time to make their own decisions. If you can highlight the benefits strongly, they will be quicker to adopt your new technology.
Address Security Head On
The older generations can be petrified of new technology. It’s no surprise – the amount of web security failures that are covered by the mainstream news is alarming. But those stories also distort the bigger picture and makes things sound worse than they are. By addressing security issues head on with facts and statistics, you can allay any of the fears that your members may have.
Target Champions Of Change
Take note of the members of your organization that are actively embracing the change. They can be very useful to help you get others on board. People react better to recommendations from friends, family and word of mouth, and if you can get good people on board early on it will help your cause. With any luck, some well-placed champions can help to spread the word and be the first port of call to answer the questions of those who have worries.
These tips should help your organization get through technological change without losing the hearts and minds of your members. The key thing is to take things slowly and communicate well. Do that, and it will be appreciated.
