| The most important ingredients to successfully | | | | made as appropriate. Managers and individual |
| manage change in an organization are: executive | | | | performers must be part of the solution. |
| sponsorship, effective communication, and | | | | 2) Upper management must make the change a |
| accountability. All of these are direct responsibilities of | | | | priority and reflect it with their actions. We've all heard |
| management. Thus, unsuccessful change initiatives are | | | | about the importance of executive sponsorship. |
| most frequently caused by poor management | | | | Executives need to consistently put their money, |
| performance. | | | | words, and actions where their mouths are. When |
| It's relatively easy to blame the stubborn grunt workers | | | | change is on the horizon there must be adequate |
| on the front lines for digging in their heels and resisting | | | | resources (dollars and people) to effect the change. |
| change. Much attention is placed on effectively dealing | | | | Too often attempts to cut corners sabotage the |
| with their emotional response to change. While that is | | | | change from the start. For instance, tapping a manager |
| certainly important, it's really the managers that require | | | | with a full time job to project manage a large initiative |
| much more of the focus. If they are not on board, | | | | in his/her spare time is a recipe for disaster. Buying |
| there is no chance that the individual performers will be. | | | | everyone a copy of Who Moved My Cheese and |
| Managers have their reasons for resisting change. | | | | then slinking away into the executive suite won't do the |
| After all, they are people too. They are uncomfortable | | | | trick either. |
| with change. Most are strong willed as well and are | | | | 3) Communicate, Communicate, Communicate. It is so |
| very confident that proposed changes will be either | | | | critical. Open and honest two-way communication |
| ineffective or simply won't work at all. Furthermore, | | | | must occur early and often. Expectations must be |
| there is frequently not a high degree of trust among | | | | clearly set. Everyone involved must be aware of the |
| management. Change initiatives have been | | | | change, why it's being done, who is impacted and how, |
| unsuccessful so many times in the past, and no one | | | | what the roles and responsibilities are, etc. The |
| has been held accountable. As a result, managers just | | | | message must continually be reinforced throughout the |
| play along, wait until the winds of change blow over, | | | | organization by the multiple levels of management. |
| and see where the dust settles. | | | | Feedback must consistently be sought and acted |
| It's not so much the overt expression of dissatisfaction, | | | | upon. Measurable desired results must be spelled out |
| rather, a subtle remark or reaction, an inability to | | | | at each level of the organization to include |
| articulate the reasons for the change, or simply ignoring | | | | repercussions for not achieving the results. |
| a proposed change that can have a huge negative | | | | 4) Plans must be put in place (with contribution from |
| impact on team members and quickly torpedo an | | | | team members) to achieve the desired results. |
| initiative. If managers throughout the organization are | | | | Progress must be reported, and those involved must |
| not engaged, they will not do what is necessary to get | | | | be held accountable for the results. |
| their direct reports engaged. | | | | With the above in place, the majority of managers will |
| So, what is the solution? | | | | be won over, and they in turn will do their part to gain |
| 1) Upper management needs to solicit input on the | | | | the support of the rest of the employees. The result |
| proposed change from managers and they in turn | | | | will be the successful implementation of change |
| must do so from the other employees. Those that | | | | initiative number one. With each subsequent win, trust |
| disagree with aspects of the approach should not be | | | | will grow, change will come easier, and the many |
| beaten down for expressing valid concerns. Rather, | | | | benefits of innovation will follow. |
| input should be considered and adjustments should be | | | | |