Are you hoping to make a positive social or environmental change at your workplace? We’re here with a step-by-step plan to help. If you want a heavy-duty how-to, you can use our Impact at Work Toolkit, which includes more instructions, more ideas, and eight (yes, eight!) worksheets you can print, if that helps set your ideas in motion. But if a shortcut sounds more appealing, we’ve got you covered right here with a three-step plan (well, maybe more than three, depending on how you count).

1. Define your project. 

Every project has to start somewhere. But diving in head-first isn’t necessarily the most effective way to make change that truly lasts; taking the time to map out the direction of your project can make all the difference.

Identify potential projects. Start by brainstorming a list of ideas. Get creative: what problems have you encountered that need solving? Do you have any particular issues that you’re passionate about? Which unsustainable activities do you see in your workplace that bother you? Or look at it differently and ask yourself which sustainable acitivies would benefit your company that aren't in place yet. Maybe you’re concerned about composting, for example, or energy conservation. Maybe you want to see better carpooling programs, flexible workspaces, or more employee volunteering opportunities. Maybe you'd like to see your company implement a more socially or enironmentally sound purchasing policy. 

Evaluate the benefits and challenges. To help narrow down your list of potential projects, assess the benefits, challenges, difficulty level, and potential impact of each idea. Write down the possible opportunities and roadblocks and see which project has the best chance to succeed.

2. Engage stakeholders.

To make lasting change, you'll need support. Identifying and engaging stakeholders early in the process will help secure commitment and buy-in.

Build a team. Identify a core team to take charge and help engage others throughout the organization. Choosing a diverse group will allow you to tap into a range of talent and ideas. Take a look at other successful teams or departments in your organization: what techniques could you replicate?

Map the stakeholders involved. Think about who will be affected by your project, as well as those who might have influence on its success or failure. Gaining the support of key stakeholders will help build credibility for your team, and potentially speed up progress. If you can, identify someone in senior leadership who might be interested in “sponsoring” your project to add momentum. Also identify which additional stakeholders might be for or against your idea, so you can begin solving the problem of any resistance you may encounter.

Communicate your message. Getting people on board can sometimes be challenging, so think carefully about different ways to engage, entice, and educate your audience. What about your project will your stakeholders care about? If you’re asking them to adopt new behaviors or give up old ones, what might make them more likely to accept these changes? It’s important to think about this from their point of view, because the need for change may not be as clear to them as it is to you.

3. Plan for Results

Once you’ve kicked off your project and gotten your team on board, it’s time to make sure your idea can take root. Understanding how your efforts are paying off in the real world can help your project grow.

Define your project and create a plan. Setting clear objectives and then breaking the project down into realistic milestones keeps big projects managable and lofty goals on track. Ground your project in actionable phases, milestones, and next steps.

Chart your progress. It helps to gather as much data as possible to validate and track your efforts, particularly if you’ll need to report progress to senior leadership. But consistent data can also tell you if you’re on the right track, or if you need reassess your approach. Decide what metrics will be most valuable to your team — and the organization at large — for tracking progress, and then start recording.

Share your results. Not only will you want to conduct regular check-ins with your team to stay on track, it’s critical to celebrate your project’s milestones, big and small. Share your experience (successes and lessons learned) with the rest of your organization to keep momentum and encourage others to get involved.

And don’t forget to share your learnings with the Net Impact network. Reach out on Twitter or Facebook and tell us how it went. We can’t wait to hear what kind of impact you make!

Want some inspiration? Take a look at these three projects profiled by Net Impact CEO Liz Maw. The three women featured all made an impressive impact.

Want some worksheets? Download the full Impact at Work Toolkit PDF.