| The Problem: | | | | n) you cannot jump from drawing the prospects |
| Over the last few months we have published articles | | | | attention to your offering, to demanding action in the |
| with businessprocess improvement ideas from lean, | | | | form of patronage, so in managing change within the |
| six-sigma and the theory ofconstraints. Many leading | | | | organisation the correct sequence must be followed. |
| organisations have used them to transform their | | | | The Change Management Process |
| organisations. Yet many more have tried them and | | | | Change management has been defined as the |
| failed to obtain the exponential improvements | | | | process of developing aplanned approach to change, |
| promised. For all the popularity of various improvement | | | | and deals mainly with the human aspects of change, |
| initiatives and management fads that have come and | | | | particularly the use of communication to clarify the |
| gone, the truth is that in majority of the cases the | | | | vision, convey urgency and overcome resistance. A |
| changes made just do not last. Where lies the | | | | number of other models exist, which can be seen as |
| differencebetween both types of organisation? | | | | elaborations of the Kurt Lewin model. These include |
| Seeing one initiative after another start out with loud | | | | the change formula and the Kotter sequence among |
| bombast and end in a fizzle leads to disenchantment | | | | many. |
| and loss of faith inmanagement and its motives. It is | | | | Vision X Dissatisfaction X First Steps > Resistance |
| therefore important to pinpointthe reasons for the | | | | The step of unfreezing the organisation in readiness |
| failure of change initiatives and learn toavoid them. | | | | for change is done by creating awareness and desire. |
| Lack of Strong and Visible Support from the Top: | | | | This in Kotter's modelinvolves creating a sense of |
| This is probably the most common cause of failure of | | | | urgency, creating the guidingcoalition, developing a |
| manyimprovement initiatives. The importance attached | | | | vision of change and communicating thevision. At the |
| by the leadership of the organisation, as deciphered | | | | end of a successful unfreezing, the stakeholders are |
| from their behaviours will determine the degree of | | | | dissatisfied with the current state of affairs, have a |
| momentum that can be generated and alignment that | | | | clear vision of a better future and are desirous of |
| can be created around the desired change. | | | | change. |
| Organisational culture has been described by no less | | | | To create the change actions are taken to provide the |
| than Larry Bossidy, as nothing more or less than the | | | | knowledge required and the ability to implement the |
| behaviour of itsleader. | | | | change. This empowers broad based action by |
| Absence of a Systematic Change Management | | | | clearing obstacles, changing systems and structures |
| Process: | | | | where necessary and encouraging risk taking. Those |
| The persons championing the change are usually high | | | | involved in implementing the change can quickly |
| in technicalability but may possess a low level of | | | | generate short term wins, which then provides further |
| situational awareness andhave little or no formal | | | | confidence, credibility and momentum to consolidate |
| knowledge of change dynamics. At theorganisational | | | | the gains and create more of the desired change. |
| level there may be no shared model of how | | | | The refreeze step of the sequence is where the new |
| changeoccurs and what levers can be adjusted to | | | | behaviours and practices occasioned by change |
| make it successful. Thus the change process is | | | | become embedded in the culture of the organisation. A |
| haphazardly managed and outcomes are not clearly | | | | change in culture cannot be "ordered" into place. New |
| successful, or sustained. | | | | approaches will become cultural norms only after they |
| Absence Critical Elements In, And/Or Wrong | | | | have proven superior to former ones. Even then plenty |
| Sequence Change | | | | of communication is required. Lencionni's view that one |
| Management Process Steps: | | | | of the main tasks of leadership is to "over |
| One of the simplest and most generic models of | | | | communicate organisational clarity" is right on the mark |
| change is thatdescribed by Kurt Lewin. Here, change is | | | | here. Key people wedded to old practices and unwilling |
| seen as occurring in theunfreeze | | | | or unable to embrace the new ways must leave the |
| change refreeze sequence. This sequence is | | | | organisation, or the risk of regression will remain high. |
| notalterable. Just as in the sales process | | | | |