Darwin famously once said that it was not the fittest that survive but the species most responsive to change. This fact has now become synonymous with business evolution, placing a compelling need on companies to fully embrace change or risk falling by the wayside.

But how do you manage change successfully? Whether it be personnel changes or IT, location changes or company process, below are some tips to ensure that your company survives and stays calm in the challenging business of change.

Omelettes and eggs
Real change, as opposed to cosmetic shifts in business culture, will by definition cause disruption within the working practices of any company. It's important to remember that the benefits of successful change management tend to arrive later than the process itself, so it is important to stick to your guns and embed the changes in your company culture, until they become anchored and indistinguishable from traditional processes.

Organisations are organic
Companies, as the Darwin quote above suggests, are like organisms. Most people imagine a business to be a rigid and inflexible structure, whereas it may be more helpful to conceptualise your business as a fluid, organic entity that is always changing. Viewed in this manner, it is possible to recognise change as being at the very centre of your company's future prospects, and larger scale changes can be undertaken confidently in a broader context of perpetual change.

Early wins
Whatever change you are considering, or actually going through at present, it is worth bearing in mind that your colleagues and you may well need to experience some 'quick wins' through the change management process. If people can see that the change brings benefits as well as disruption, it is much easier to establish an early buy-in to the change process from those around you that are going through it.

Resistance is futile
When placed in a position of change, many people resist the process as it falls outside of their traditional comfort zone. Not only is this counter productive, but it is often the case that the original fears that led to the resistance are unfounded. If the business reasons for change are robust, and well communicated, then this should keep irrational resistance down to a minimum, and ensure for a smoother transition.

Focus on one change at a time
Even for responsive companies that are the most adept at change management, it is important not to try and effect too many changes at any one given time. The destabilising effects of change can be managed more successfully with the presence of enough familiar and constant elements within the business.

Encourage feedback
The process of change within a business can only be deemed truly successful if everyone who it affects accepts it as a progressive improvement. A good way to ensure this is to encourage feedback from stakeholders at key stages. People respond better to change if they feel fully included within the process itself.

Be realistic
Generally speaking, things always take longer and cost more than you think they will. Be realistic about the changes that you need to make, the time it will take to make them, and the personnel skills needed to make the change a success. If your business lacks the skills base to effect successful transitions and changes, it may well be sensible to employ the services of a change management consultant during this period.

Unplanned change is a surprise, planned change is strategic
Remember to be extremely clear about the changes that your business requires, the process you intend to follow, and the results that you expect. This will limit the negative impact of the process, keep you sane through the duration and keep your colleagues focused and appreciative of the elements required.