Change Management: Streamlining a Path to the Present
Change can be uncomfortable. Most of us tend to sink into the soft status quo, regardless of its flaws. Yet in our modern world, change is also ever-present. It is our constant companion and it can be a bold, wonderful friend. And we luxuriate in the status quo at our peril.
So how do we manage change in an organization? How do we welcome it, smooth its entry, and make it work for us? There are several important methods.
- Put people first. People issues arise in any basic transformation. As jobs change, new leaders have to emerge and new capabilities must develop — and just as certainly employees will hesitate and resist. Change often creates a “loss curve,” and losses include familiarity with the old system and time spent learning the new. If you treat such issues on a reactive, case-by-case basis, you put speed, morale, and results at risk. The solution: A formal approach for managing change that begins with the leadership team and engages key stakeholders. Like the redesign of basic strategy, this approach requires much data collection, analysis, planning, and implementation. Then, as change spreads through the organization, people have to buy in and adapt it effectively. It’s the leaders who persuade the people that change is important. It’s the people who make change work.
- Convince the magnets. Early believers become voices for innovation and act as magnets for others, persuading them to support change and broadcast its benefits. These leaders are people who can envision the end results, both positive and negative. Often, their enthusiasm stems from careful analysis of how the new automated world will affect every step in the paper world. These advocates talk with their peers, discussing concerns and forging solutions. And those creating the solution gain ownership of it. When I managed a project to automate the California appellate court’s paper docket system, many deputy clerks were pessimistic and some vehemently opposed total reliance on a computer screen. They were users of the system, the beneficiaries of change, but because the Chief Justice had handed down the automation order, they had had no opportunity to buy in or object. Only a small group enthusiastically backed the automated system — but they provided the foothold needed to move forward. They convinced their reluctant peers by explaining how things would work with the new system and then they became participant teachers in the training sessions. Even though some deputies remained skeptical, most trusted their tech-wise peers and adopted the system quickly.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate.Ignorance is a foe of change. If people don’t see how the benefits of change outweigh the effort, they will resist. But if you inform others at every step, you show a commitment to them, resolve their qualms, and help change gain traction. You also prevent the spread of half-truths through the grapevine. Make sure to speak to all levels of the organization. There are three key things to remember:
- Describe who will benefit and how. Don’t emphasize the technology. Its implications may be opaque and its terms can be daunting. Instead, stress the power people will gain. Highlight effect, not cause. If someone asked for movie suggestions, you wouldn’t list equipment used. You’d describe the films
- Show why these benefits matter at the business level. Describe the improvements to the organization and make sure people understand why they help everyone. Indicate how you will measure the impact of the changes.
- Decide on the key messages for your information strategy. Determine what you will need to communicate, to whom, and when. Include communications and dates in the project plan and make sure milestones or events trigger them.
- Expect the unexpected. Surprises will always occur. To handle them, turn to key individuals who own areas of responsibility. Discuss these issues as a team and assign responsibility for resolving them. You can put them on the Lessons Learned list for review at the end of the project.
Change is inevitable and so is resistance to it. But effective change management can turn that resistance into support, and hasten you into the digital universe.