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How to Manage Change

Written by: Louise Pope

Article Overview: There is a frequently-quoted statistic, which may not be strictly numerically accurate but certainly has the feel of truth. 75% of all change initiatives adopted by organisations fail.

How to Manage Change



There is a frequently-quoted statistic, which may not be strictly numerically accurate but certainly

has the feel of truth. 75% of all change initiatives adopted by organisations fail. Generally, they fail for one of three reasons (or in the most spectacular failures, a combination of the three): employees fail to listen to the message for change; employees listen, but disagree with the reasons behind the need for change and fail to buy into the change programme as a result; or they understand and agree with the need for change, but fail to implement the necessary strategy.

Successful change doesn't usually happen overnight. If it's going to be worthwhile, it might take a lot longer than you expected. Let's face it, if life were that easy then all half-decent ideas would become instant success stories and we all know this isn't generally the case.

The headlines tell the story - these are difficult economic times, causing apprehension and nervousness in employees throughout a sizeable portion of the corporate world. In many companies, a host of counterproductive emotional issues are in play ... and executives who don't recognize and address them, and implement the necessary changes will have difficulty moving their organisations forward.

Louise Pope - Managing Director Aequalis Consulting specialist in finance & accounting recruitment says "Managing Change and uncertainty are the biggest obstacles we will encounter over the coming months. Human beings are inherently resistant to change and this means that change management is one of the most challenging tasks a leader will face". "Tough times demand strong leadership. Ask yourself 'what does my team need from me to perform at their best?' and remember that it's the small touches that make the difference".

Great examples of business leaders who have managed teams through significant change include Richard Branson & Anita Roddick. Richard Branson believes in keeping things simple and that people are the foundation of a corporation's success. He also believes in igniting the passion and ambition of employees while empowering their ideas to fuel success. Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, included red envelopes in employees' induction packs, in which they could put ideas, and placed whiteboards in The Body Shop bathrooms, on which they could "graffiti" their comments. Every week, her PA made notes of what had been written, giving the leadership team insight into what was going on at the company and helping to empower staff.

Recently asked "how does the man that runs 350 companies get it all done?" Richard Branson responded " You can't be a good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you bring out the best in them".

So ask yourself the question "what makes your employees sad, mad or glad? Employees should be made to feel like people not a number". "Engaging employees is about them having insight into your organisation and feeling included. That way, they become an advocate of the business."

Managing your workforce through change is a true test of corporate leadership. The following actions may assist you:

1/ Communicate, communicate, communicate - there is little use in setting a world beating strategy for you organisation if you fail to communicate it effectively at all levels.

2/ Display and encourage adaptability - upheaval in the workplace requires a new and relevant approach to engaging your workforce.

3/ Inspire ideas - lead brain storming and thought sessions to involve everyone in solutions

4/ Celebrate success - Motivational strategies extend to innovative ideas

5/ Finally have fun - remember those that play together stay together.

While these are just a few actions ... they'll increase your odds of making your workforce and organisation more productive. They're the "must-do" actions that can foster the "can-do" reactions.

"Responsibilities of leaders are heightened during times of change ... but if successful, so are their reputations."

Related Articles
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  7 Keys to Managing Change
  Change is a Fact of Life --- Six Keys That Make a Difference
  MANAGE YOUR TIME
  People Are Not the Problem: Eight Tips to Effectively Manage Change

Article Tags: amp, apprehension, business leaders, change management, economic times, emotional issues, human beings, instant success, managing change, managing director, nervousness, obstacles, pope, recruitment, sizeable portion, spectacular failures, statistic, success stories, tough times, uncertainty



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Re: Spellcheck? - [quote="TheAnonymousMan":2f894q6j]When discussing the majority of people I would definitely say that most people hit the "Change" or "Ignore" button without thinking too much about the correct spelling of a word. All bosses are concerned about is getting the report to the Directors meeting on time.[/quote:2f894q6j] That probably depends on what the "majority" are trying to accomplish. I have word set to alert me about misspellings and grammatical problems, so I fix most as I go. But I also add names etc to the dictionary because I get tired of seeing the red and green squiggles when I know the info is right. If you're only going to click "Change" or "Ignore" then why bother to take the time to use spell check????? Business people that I work for want the info compiled in a timely manner and they want it right - which is fine because that's the way I strive to do any project. Sending out a memo, letter, report etc with obvious spelling and grammatical mistakes makes the person and the company look bad as far as I'm concerned. Shri
Re: e-Commerce and e-Payment providers - Hi GT It is only fairly recently that people in South Africa have been able to get full use of Paypal as we were only able at one time to make payments but not receive them. Fortunately this has now changed. I have received money through Global X Change for one of the affiliate programs that I promote and have found them pretty good as the money is normally transferred directly into my bank account within 2-3 days and I have not had any problems with them. MichelleJ
Re: What exactly do you need to start a business - Hi phummy, I’m not sure what options you have in Nigeria or maybe you already know what you want to do but like any business, it’s all about supply and demand. Is there an interest in the product or service you are selling? Have you researched the market, perhaps approach other competitors to see what they have to offer, do you have any experience in the field. When you have researched your niche and decided what you want to do then it’s time for your business plan. Set your budget (very important) and stick to it, will you be working from home or an office and what equipment/stationary will you need. Manage your time effectively to concentrate on things that will push your business forward. Set realistic goal’s and stick to your plan. Coming to places like this forum are a godsend as you can save yourself time and grief by coming here and asking questions, good luck to you, Mal.
Re: Obama Wants Social Security for Illegals - [quote="Alan Mater":3kaa8sg4] Obama WILL make changes... but they're not the changes we as a country need or should look forward to.[/quote:3kaa8sg4] Sad but this is exactly how I feel about it. Change is coming - but unless I'm really wrong, it is not a change this country needs. Amazing how much a good speaker with a good speech writer can do. If you paid attention to the things he said "off script" - much of it is frightening. Chris
Why A Project Fails? - Hello Everyone As the size and complexity of ones business grows, so does their need to effectively manage projects. I have been thinking about the major reasons why a project can go wrong and my limited experience comes up with the following. 1 Leadership: A project manager with leadership skills and not just management skills. 2 Failure to (Foresee and) Plan 3 Failure to Manage: Ineffective change management control methods. Unclear decision making guidelines. 4 Talent: Finding, allocating and developing people 5 Scope: Setting an overly ambitious or amibigious project scope 6 Alignment: When projects are not prioritized in alignment with the business strategy, or project members personal objectives are not in tandem with that of the project / company 7 Lack of Candor: Communication Breakdowns I would be interested in knowing everyone's thoughts on this, especially on ways to overcome the above mentioned obstacles. Cheers!


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