Git-r-Dun to Make Change Successful

Any organization that is trying to make a change to how it operates will encounter issues of making the change that will dictate the level of success achieved. People tend to stay “in the mode” as long as there is more of a reason to do so than not. The longer the current practice has been in place, the more fundamental the change or the more the entire organization is affected are key issues that will determine how successfully the change is made. When an organization is making a significant change to the processes being used, it is important to realize the following:

• Individual resistance to change is the norm, not the exception.
• People must be informed, empowered, willing and able in order for changes to be made effectively.
• Personal and organizational values affect how people react to change.
• People go through the change process in stages and go through these stages as individuals.

There are several reasons that organizations fail to succeed with changes that are attempted:

• There are unclear or unrealistic expectations for what the change is trying to accomplish.
• The company culture is misjudged or ignored as it relates to how the change will be accepted.
• Change management is viewed as expendable and/or is not done proactively.
• Communication to those involved and affected is not done effectively or is done too late in the process.
• End users who must participate in the change are neglected in the overall process.
• No action plans or meaningful metrics are developed to provide guidance or monitor progress.

In order to manage the change that is being attempted, an organization needs to proactively:

• Understand what the change means to the organization.
• Assess the readiness of those involved.
• Identify talents to be used in making the change.
• Develop a plan and appropriate metrics that are simple and easy to understand.
• Assess results review and adjust.

And finally………Git-r-Dun!

• Spend time where the action is.
• Get feedback from others.
• Push to the next level of improvement.
• Follow through with expectations.
• Let people ask questions.
• Give honest assessments.

Are you Best-in-Class?