Opinion: Change shouldn't be feared, it should be managed

I’ve worked in food and agriculture for more than five decades, not as a farmer or rancher, but as a consultant helping those who grow food for the world navigate opportunities and side-step threats. With a barrage of issues facing food and agriculture, the work is never-ending.  

From regulatory pressures, to labor challenges and climate change, being in agriculture isn’t easy these days. And while nobody has a crystal ball, much of what is ahead can be better planned for by developing an issue anticipation system that will poise organizations for success. The idea is to get involved with an issue early in its development, before others affected have staked out a position; before the topic becomes fodder for discussion by NGOs, stakeholders, legislators and regulators. Early involvement provides the opportunity to help shape how an issue develops. Consequently, the odds of an issue evolving in a beneficial way are significantly enhanced. In fact, the earlier an organization gets involved in analyzing an issue, the more plentiful the options for: 

• Accelerating the development of issues presenting opportunities to the organization;
• Redirecting likely threats to more beneficial ground and/or;
• Making recommendations for internal adjustments to adapt to a changing world. 

The Dairy Council of California was our first client to realize the power of anticipating and managing change. One of its early successes dealt with what was once a little-known disease called osteoporosis. Scientists found osteoporosis could be prevented with the consumption of calcium-rich foods.  By identifying this issue early on, Dairy Council of California partnered with the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). Dairy Council of California was interested in promoting the importance of calcium-rich foods. ASBMR was interested in building a case for calcium research. It was a match made in heaven, and together this team raised significant awareness for this important issue.  

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Food Foresight, an issue anticipation system evolving from our 30 years of work with the agri-food chain, is a collaboration of Nuffer, Smith, Tucker and the California Institute of Food and Agricultural Research at the Davis campus. Each year, we pull together thought leaders up and down the supply chain to meet for two days to scrutinize data, set priorities and draw assumptions for the future. The discussion leads to a report for investors to use as a foundation for strategic planning. Those who don’t have a seat at the Food Foresight table, can set up their own system to manage change with the following steps:  

1. Form a team to anticipate issues and establish priorities. This will likely involve around a dozen people drawn from multiple disciplines who can take a broader view when discussing current and evolving issues. Look for those who can check their self-interest at the door. Identifying issues can be as simple as brainstorming projections on economics, social trends, government and political issues, new technologies and competitive issues, among others. 
2. Analysis of potential action. Once priorities are set, a formal situational analysis (or issue brief) is assessed for each priority. A situational brief should paint a picture of how the issue is likely to unfold if the organization takes no action. Follow up with an assessment of stakeholders — what groups are affected? How are they likely to position themselves? And what are their likely behavioral inclinations?
3. Recommend an organizational position on the issue. Ask yourself, who makes the decisions on the issue? Who is likely to support your organization's position; who is likely not to support it? The ideal position is one that mutually benefits the organization and other groups affected (e.g., stakeholders), and supports the greater public good. 
4. Identify public/opinion leaders who can help you advance your position. Once a decision is made to invest time and money, the discussion turns to execution. Formal research is useful in validating message assumptions about groups with a stake in the issue (made during the situational analysis). It can help identify those opinion leaders who are likely to advance your organization's position. Opinion leaders can be your most powerful ally — earning trust, building relationships and creating supportive behaviors. Criteria for selecting opinion leaders include: Who do members of your public look to for advice on the issue? Who will the public trust on the issue? Who has the credibility to advance your position on the issue best? Who is likely to be open to your position on the issue?
5. Identify desired behaviors of public/opinion leaders.  Ask yourself what behaviors you want from your target audience to support your position. Advance a specific set of behaviors by relating to your target audience’s needs, concerns or interests.  
6. Develop a plan to solicit support and behavior change.Lastly, and important, attention needs to be paid to developing a plan to engage your stakeholders with smart messages, strategies and tactics that advance your goals and agenda.   

Catching issues early in their development, when strategic options are most plentiful, provides a greater opportunity to cash in on managing change – framing issue conversations, aligning stakeholder support, and shaping how change unfolds. 

Kerry Tucker is retired CEO from Nuffer, Smith, Tucker, a public relations firm, and author of “Is This All There Is: 5 Changes To Rejuvenate Your Company” available on Amazon.