Dear Reader,
Whether you are a friend, colleague, someone browsing the internet or even a member of my family who has no idea what I do... I wrote this for you. I hope you find it interesting.
By reading on, you'll find out about Change Management.
Of course, everything is changing all the time - not all changes are or need to be managed - but when an organisation makes specific changes, there are benefits to applying a disciplined approach. Often, these benefits are understood out of failed attempts to change something.
The formula for success is simple: Understand what the changes are (define a vision); understand who's involved, has influence and/or is impacted, how supportive they are etc (stakeholder analysis), what the impacts, some more detail about who is impacted, how, when and what needs to be done to support them (Change Impact Assessments) and finally, and by no means least, what communication (information), engagement (an open dialogue) and training is needed.
Changes come in all shapes and sizes.
Defining what's changing, how and when is like painting a picture. You might be painting the landscape in front of you, but how it's interpreted is a choice often made after a negotiation between those involved or impacted.
Changes aren't singular. There's usually an aim or objective that may or may not be called the change. Then there's all the things that change towards that change. Clear??
Sometimes it's possible to have a beautifully neat headline ' We are developing new services to better support our customers'. Most of the time, the need for change comes out of something far more practical but also less obvious than a new business ambition. New technology, for example, forces organisations to keep up with the times or get lost in the past. Efficiencies, streamlining processes that have grown organically as new requirements have come along, must happen if an organisation is to remain effective and relevant.
Change goes part in parcel with managing any business.
How changes get managed.
Flexibility
Navigating ambiguity. Agreeing something and then needing to change it. Not changing too often. Supporting a narrative to explain all of the above to encourage support and understanding from everyone involved.
Motivation
Retaining motivation through hard times. I've always struggled to see Change as hard (even when impacted myself), but respect for everyone going through it and continuing to find silver linings is essential for changes to succeed.
Structure
The number one requirement. When all else fails, having a solid structure enables visibility, consciousness and a common understanding. A good structure provides critical objectivity in situations that are otherwise seen from so many different perspectives that most are left scratching their heads over what went wrong.
Watch this space as I post more about what makes Change Management work.