Embracing and Managing Change
(Published in the Spring 2021 issue of The Independent Reporter, the quarterly magazine of the Association of Independent Funeral Directors of Florida.)
Change is always inevitable.
There are two types of challenges that businesses (and individuals) face: Immediate, that is, “change or die,” and Impending, those they know will eventually happen. The ability to change (and acquire new learning) and to manage the change as an organization is as essential to an organization’s survival and innovation as it is to individual health and mental acuity.
The pandemic has been a crash course in how to adapt to and manage immediate change quickly and effectively. For example, we had to find alternative ways to stay in touch with family and friends, through virtual meetings, telephone calls, or drive-thru greetings.
In-person gatherings would have put self and others at great risk for contracting the virus. Millions of American workers had to adapt quickly to remote work environments. Many had to juggle work while adjusting to their children’s digital learning. In general, surviving the pandemic is dependent on many factors, including personal and organizational flexibility and willingness to embrace change quickly.
To continue to meet its mandate to provide care and services to those needing them, the funeral profession adapted rapidly to changes necessitated by the pandemic and required by state and local governments. Challenges included restricting in-person services to 10 persons and requiring attendees to were masks and to practice social distancing.
Other challenges included livestreaming services to accommodate family members and friends unable to attend because of travel or attendance restrictions, holding outdoor or graveside services to accommodate more attendees, holding virtual meetings with families and using digital platforms, such as DocuSign, for signatures.
I have been told that it is difficult for the funeral profession to embrace change.
I had the occasion recently to ask Welton Hong, Founder/CEO of Ring Ring Marketing, for his take on why the funeral profession in general is slow to embrace impending change, such as the rising consumer preference for cremation and for lower cost burial options, or using social media for marketing purposes, or for providing green funeral choices.
Mr. Hong replied that for the last 100 years, funeral homes did not need to actively market their services to the public because families tended to use the services of their local community funeral homes. Thus, there was relatively little incentive, outside of a funeral home owner’s desire, to gain greater market share by changing the status quo operations or offering trending services.
According to Mr. Hong, times have changed. For a variety of reasons, funeral homes must now compete with others (independent or corporate) or direct disposers for customers. Families may not have developed the same loyalty to the community family funeral home as their parents or grandparents did. Consumers use the Internet to search for funeral establishments, offering the best value for the cost and accommodating their changing final disposition preferences.
Clearly, as its response to the pandemic has amply demonstrated, the funeral profession can make changes immediately. Some pandemic-driven changes may outlive this emergency. But in support of Mr. Hong’s assessment, embracing any kind of change often means moving outside one’s comfort zone, into the unknown.
This may be difficult and daunting for individuals who feel they lack the requisite knowledge, strategies, or resources to implement those changes successfully. For others, the desire to change may be significantly greater than the will. The human brain is hardwired to maintain the status quo and not expend additional energy on making changes. Denial of the impending changes may be another factor for others.
Remember, effectively managing impending change is key to survival in a changing market.
I propose the following change process that you can employ and manage when you are considering making changes to your business model. I have adapted the ADKAR (Awareness-Decision-Knowledge-Ability-Reinforcement) change process:
1. Be curious about the impending change in your profession because curiosity creates opportunities for innovation and change that can benefit your business. What is the change? Why is the change happening? Is there a need for the change within your business model?
2. Do you have the desire and the will to make this change? Your decision will be based on the outcome from Step 1. Identify other stakeholders (co-owner, manager, funeral director, staff person, supplier) and explain the need for change. Secure their buy-in and together develop a shared vision for change.
3. Determine what you are trying to change. Your goal(s) should be clear, simple and manageable, for example, to offer green burial services and products. Identify other funeral establishments that have implemented this change. How did they implement it? Were they successful or not? Consider working with a change management consultant or a consultant in the area that you wish to change or develop, to help you create a plan around simple and clear goals and objectives and a timeline.
4. Do you have the resources, financial and staff, to implement the change? If not, how can you acquire the necessary resources? Or do you need to scale back the plan to match your current resources?
5. Recognize that your decision to pursue change may meet with resistance from other participants. Have a plan to obtain their participation, which may include reinforcing the message for change and addressing their hesitancy. A change management consultant can help with this.
6. Evaluate the change. Was it successful? Why? Did you get a return on your investment (ROI)? If not, why?
7. Tweak your plan accordingly. If you did not realize a ROI but still have the desire and the will to pursue the change, then make the necessary changes, and continue until you have realized your vision for change.
Change in any profession is inevitable. Embracing it and managing it well can help increase the survival of your business in a changing market.