ENTP – Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving

Here are the traits for this organizational character type:

Extraverted – focuses outward, responds to external stimuli

• Time to talk about what is going on during the change process.

• They want something to do as a part of the change process.

• Communication, communication, communication.

• They want to be heard – to have a voice in the change process.

• They desire action, getting on with it, keeping up the pace.

Intuitive – concerns itself with possibilities, attends to the big picture

• The overall rationale – the global realities.

• A general plan or direction to play around with and develop.

• Chances to paint a picture of the future – to create a vision.

• Options – a general direction, but not too much structure.

• Opportunities to participate in designing the future.

Thinking – depends on impersonal procedures and principles

• Clarity in the decision making and the planning.

• Demonstration that leadership is competent.

• Fairness and equitability in the changes.

• The logic – Why? What are the goals? What systemic changes will there be?

Perceiving – likes to keep options open, distrusts too much definition

• An open-ended plan.

• The general parameters.

• Flexibility, with lots of options.

• Information and the opportunity to gather more.

• Loosen up, don’t panic, trust the process.

Boiling this down into a plan

All of the above can be boiled down into these main points:

1. Put compliance into context. What is the overall rationale, and where does that fit within the organization’s day-to-day realities (such as staying in business) as well as the overall picture?

2. Be honest. What is the actual gap (even if it's big and bad) between what the compliance requirements are telling the organization you need to do, and what you are currently doing? What will this require in terms of time, money, and effort (your best guess)?

3. Be transparent. Make sure you aren’t sugar-coating anything and provide both points of view. If any attempts had been made in the past and failed, don’t forget to point that out. You need a realistic picture of any change the compliance plan will bring.

4. What are the options? This type of organization likes to weigh the options before making a final decision. Give them options to weigh in on.

5. Plan the communication around in-person meetings. This type of organization is more receptive to new ideas when they can see the person presenting them and read you. Give them time in the meetings to express their opinions on the subject.

6. Invite leadership and other stakeholders to make changes to the plan (especially the options you’ve given them) – they want something to do as a part of the compliance process.