| In managing change in the workplace it is extremely | | | | intentions - what organisational benefit you hope to |
| important to draw the distinction between "incremental | | | | realise. |
| change" and "step change". | | | | What will actually be different because of the change? |
| Whilst the broad principles of leading and managing | | | | - Tell them exactly and precisely where and how |
| change are universal it is very important to establish | | | | things will be different after the change. |
| very early on whether or not what you are proposing | | | | Who's going to lose what? - Don't "gloss over" or |
| can be regarded as "incremental change" and | | | | attempt to minimise or trivialise what they will lose and |
| realistically can be accomplished within the constraints | | | | have to let go of. Be direct, honest and empathic in |
| of "Business As Usual", or whether it is a "step | | | | your truthful recognition of what the impact of your |
| change" and needs to be handled as a specific | | | | change will mean for them. |
| initiative - with the appropriate level of senior | | | | You will gain more respect and minimise mistrust by |
| sponsorship and practical support of a structured | | | | being truthful. This prepares the ground for the practical |
| programme management based process. | | | | hands on management support that you will be |
| In this article, I am going to address managing change in | | | | providing to translate your "change concept" into a |
| the workplace as incremental change, that is, change | | | | tangible organisational benefit. |
| within the context of business as usual. | | | | (3) Constant communication |
| Given that the single biggest reason for the | | | | You can never "over communicate" in leading and |
| astonishingly high 70% failure rate of ALL business | | | | managing a change situation and especially with regard |
| change initiatives has been the over-emphasis on | | | | to what is happening or not happening and why. |
| process rather than people coupled with the failure to | | | | This is also a communication process that listens |
| take full account of the impact of change on those | | | | actively and demonstrates to people that you have |
| people who are most impacted by it. So clearly the | | | | thought through the impacts of the change on them, |
| approach that I am recommending has to address this | | | | and that you are prepared to work with them through |
| with processes that work for people. | | | | the transition, and that you will help make it work for |
| Here are the 4 key steps to managing incremental | | | | them. |
| change in the workplace: | | | | In terms of the emotional resonance aspect of your |
| (1) Clarity in all areas | | | | communications, remember Martin Luther King who did |
| Before going anywhere with a proposed change you | | | | not stand up in front of the Lincoln Memorial and say: "I |
| need to have pristine clarity with regard to: | | | | have a great strategy" and illustrate it with 10 good |
| - The business need for the change | | | | reasons why it was a good strategy. He said those |
| - The specifics of the change | | | | immortal words: "I have a dream," and then he |
| - The benefits of the change | | | | proceeded to show the people what his dream was - |
| - Most importantly the impacts of the change | | | | he illustrated his picture of the future and did so in a |
| I recommend that you consider carefully each of the | | | | way that had high emotional impact. |
| following questions: | | | | 5 guiding principles of a good change management |
| - How's it going to be different when I've made the | | | | communication process |
| change? | | | | - Clarity of message - to ensure relevance and |
| - Why am I doing this - how's it going to benefit me? | | | | recognition |
| - How will I know it's benefited me? | | | | - Resonance of message - the emotional tone and |
| - Who's it going to affect and how will they react? | | | | delivery of the message |
| - What can I do to get them "on side"? | | | | - Accurate targeting - to reach the right people with |
| - What risks and issues do I have to face? | | | | the right message |
| - What steps do I have to take to make the changes | | | | - Timing schedule - to achieve timely targeting of |
| and get the benefit? | | | | messages |
| - How am I going to manage all this so that it happens | | | | - Feedback process - to ensure genuine two way |
| and I succeed? | | | | communication |
| (2) Consistent leadership | | | | (4) Capability and resources |
| Change management guru John Kotter suggests that | | | | This is about ensuring that your people have the full |
| for change to be successful, 75% of a company's | | | | resources and capabilities they need to support them |
| management needs to "buy into" the change. So | | | | thro the change. This all boils down to: translating vision |
| convincing people that the change is necessary is | | | | and strategy into actionable steps. |
| extremely important. | | | | As leader of the change, you now face the equally if |
| This will require strong leadership and visible support | | | | not more difficult challenge of getting the staff to |
| from key people within your organization. Managing | | | | deliver your new change idea and achieve the |
| change isn't enough - you have to lead it. | | | | organisational benefits that you anticipate. |
| So managing change in the workplace also requires | | | | The trouble is that people are very different in the |
| leadership that is visible and leadership that is | | | | ways they process information, interpret life, and in the |
| consistent in all aspects of the way in which you lead | | | | ways they are motivated. Many (probably most) of |
| the change as well as how you manage the situation, | | | | them are not able to make the leap from hearing and |
| handle the communication, and ensure the realisation of | | | | understanding your vision and strategy to translating |
| the benefits of the change. | | | | that into purposeful productive action. |
| The single biggest aspect of your leadership will be | | | | This does not mean that they don't understand it, or |
| how you address the emotional rather than the rational | | | | agree with it, but it does simply mean that the leap is |
| aspects of the change. | | | | too great for most people to make - without practical |
| Many thought leaders in the world of change | | | | assistance. |
| management and change leadership are now speaking | | | | So this means that delivering an incremental change |
| vociferously about the importance of the emotional | | | | requires hands-on detailed management [micro |
| dimension of leadership and the need to address the | | | | management on occasions] in the specifics of how to |
| human dimension of change. | | | | do it, especially during the early stages. |
| Leadership thought leader and management guru | | | | For more on this: " Managing change in the workplace |
| William Bridges [who focuses on the emotional and | | | | " |
| psychological impact and the transition aspects of | | | | I invite you to take advantage of my 7 FREE "How to |
| change] offers these 3 simple questions: | | | | Do It" downloads that will take you through all of the |
| What is changing? - Put together a short clear | | | | key stages of " How to manage change " - and show |
| statement of under 60 seconds duration that | | | | you how to manage successfully. |
| summarises why the change is necessary and your | | | | |