‘Polite’ smiles

Here’s a scenario that might sound familiar: You’ve identified some brilliant digital improvements that could transform how your charity operates. You’ve done the research, found practical solutions, and you’re genuinely excited about the positive impact they’ll have. But when you announce these changes to your team, you’re met with polite smiles and what can only be described as cautious enthusiasm.

This isn't necessarily resistance to change. More often, it's wariness born from experience.

Most charity workers have lived through at least one digital transformation that promised to make their lives easier but actually made things more complicated, at least initially. They’ve seen new websites or systems that were supposed to save time but required hours of training. They’ve watched perfectly functional processes get replaced with technically superior solutions that somehow felt more difficult to use.

The key to getting genuine buy in for digital improvements isn’t about convincing people that change is good. It’s about demonstrating that this particular change will actually make their specific job easier, not just more efficient in theory.

This approach works because it acknowledges that the people doing the day to day work are the real experts on whether a digital solution is actually useful. They can spot potential problems and identify unexpected benefits much more quickly than any external consultant or senior manager.

When you’re introducing digital changes, resist the urge to present them as finished solutions. Instead, position them as experiments that you’re running together as a team. Ask people to help you figure out whether they’re actually improvements, not just to implement something you’ve already decided is beneficial.

Testing, testing...

The language you use makes a huge difference here. Instead of "We’re going to start using this new system," try "We’re going to test whether this new approach helps with [specific problem] we’ve been discussing." Instead of "This will make everything more efficient," try "This might solve that problem where [specific frustration people have identified]."

Frame digital improvements as responses to problems your team has identified, not as solutions you think they need. When people can see the direct connection between a digital change and a frustration they’ve been experiencing, adoption becomes much more natural.

But getting everyone on board isn’t just about how you introduce changes. It’s also about how you support people through the transition. Even the simplest digital improvement can feel overwhelming if someone is already managing a full caseload and multiple competing priorities.

This might seem obvious, but it’s surprisingly rare. Most digital implementations expect people to maintain their existing workload whilst learning new systems and processes. That’s a recipe for stress and resistance, even when the changes are genuinely beneficial.

Celebrate the wins

Another crucial element is celebrating small wins publicly. When someone discovers a new way to use a digital tool that saves time or improves service delivery, make sure the whole team hears about it.

This creates a culture where digital improvements feel collaborative and creative rather than mandated and restrictive. People start looking for ways to optimise their use of new tools rather than just learning to use them adequately. The goal isn’t to turn everyone into digital enthusiasts overnight. It’s to create an environment where digital changes feel like natural responses to shared challenges rather than additional burdens imposed by management.

Building genuine enthusiasm for digital change requires patience and authenticity. People need to see that improvements actually improve things, not just make them different. They need to feel heard when they identify problems with new systems, and they need to see that their feedback leads to real adjustments.

Most importantly, they need to experience success with smaller changes before they’ll trust you with bigger ones. Each positive experience with digital improvement builds credibility for future initiatives and creates advocates who can speak authentically about the benefits to their colleagues.

When this works well, you’ll notice that people start suggesting digital improvements themselves. Not because they’ve suddenly become technology evangelists, but because they've experienced how the right digital tools can actually make their mission focused work more effective and enjoyable.

In our penultimate post we’ll explore how to maintain momentum once those initial improvements are in place, and how to build on early successes without overwhelming your team.

Getting everyone on board with digital change