Implementing a new compliance program or even a new compliance policy or process can be faced with many challenges, such as the lack of organizational buy in or needed resources. To help ease any transition and implementation, professionals should utilize steps in change management as an approach. 

Change Management is a framework that assists with the implementation of a  transition or transformation within an organization and is also a method utilized by operational stakeholders routinely in organizations to help drive change. If applied correctly, change management can be an impactful tool. There are various principles to change management, but the foundation remains consistent no matter the methodology. Steps include, but are not limited to:

• Building a coalition
• Creating a sense of urgency
• Planning change
• Communicating the change
• Start at the top

Although there are several important steps within change management processes, coalition building is critical to your success. This entails utilizing members of leadership or stakeholders you identify as compliance champions within your organization to help drive the success of your project, such as compliance committee members, executive leadership, and business partners. Coalition building also involves identifying organizational stakeholders who align to a common goal. An alignment in goals will allow for both the compliance professional and the stakeholders to feel a need to drive change and work towards a common end goal. 

So when building your coalition, be strategic on how best to select members. Select members who have a direct impact in the outcome of the project, which will lead to an increase in engagement. When the right people are overlooked and not selected to be part of the coalition, this can lead to a lack of engagement in your project or the change you’re trying to implement. A weak coalition will directly impact your ability to successfully implement your new policy or process. 

A cohesive, engaged coalition will serve as a great foundation to implementing steps of change management within your department to help drive change.