Leading Change

I worked for an European Multi National Corporation for 12 years. In 1995, I presented a new marketing concept to the management staff. They received it with loud applause. The marketing concept was later implemented successfully worldwide, and we gained 45% of the worldwide market share. The concept was presented with the customer needs in mind, benefiting the customers not only with reduced production cost, it increased customers’ productivity in a flexible manufacturing environment.

The idea of a new concept was accepted because the management saw the clients’ benefits. The product was successful because it added values to them.

Many a time, when we presented a new idea or concept, people resist, because people are concerned, worried, and stressful about change. This week, I would like to share nine strategies on how to implement change in your organization. These strategies were successful strategies used by me and organizations that I had worked with in the past 33 years of my working life.

Establish a sense of urgency

People in organizations are often complacent, particularly if the organization is doing well. The need to change may not be apparent, for example, why introduce new technology if everything is going well ? It is important there is a visible reason for change – a potential threat or a new opportunity.

Create a guiding coalition

Major transformations and innovations are often associated with one highly visible individual. However, no one leader can achieve everything necessary to accomplish organizational change. Kottler ( 1996 ) recommends, “ A strong guiding coalition is always needed – one with the right composition, level of trust and shared objectives.

This is an important issue for leaders to recognize and a considerat4ion for any change project – going it alone is seldom successful. A number of people are required to make the change happen.

Develop a Vision and strategy

The vision refers to a picture of the future with some explicit statements about why and how people should strive to build that picture. It provides a sense of direction, motivates people and helps coordinate the actions of many different people.



Communicates the vision

A vision will only be effective if all those who are required to make it happen understand it. Communicating something new and different can be difficult. The message must be kept simple. Telling people something once does not have an effect, the vision must be communicated constantly, through formal and informal channels, in as many ways as possible People must understand the effect and benefits of the change. They must have a chance to question, to seek feedback on inconsistencies on things they do not understand. Effective communication is two way. Analogies and stories often help explain the vision. Those leading the change must act in a way that is consistent with the vision.

Empower broad-based action

One of the risks in change is the potential of employees to feel powerless, which can result in resistance to change. Researchers have identified a number of reason why people may resist change; uncertainty, the threat the change poses to an individual’s self interest, different perceptions of either the problem or the suggested solutions, peer pressure and bureaucratic inertia.

The purpose of this stage is to empower a broad base of people to take action by removing as many barriers to the implementation of change as possible. Leaders need to ensure that the vision is clearly communicated and that employees have a chance to join the effort to achieve the vision. Ask them to identity the issues that need to be addresses, such as organizational or structural barriers. Ensure that everyone has the right knowledge and skills to make the implementation successful. This may involve the provision of training.

Generate short term wins

It is important to ensure that with the introduction of any change there are good short term wins; this is, that successes are visible long before the long term vision is achieved. Creating wins provides those guiding the changes with concrete feedback about the validity of their vision. For those working to make the changes, these short term wins provide meaningful milestones to demonstrate their success.



Consolidate gains and produce more change

The short term wins can provide the credibility to undertake additional and perhaps bigger change projects. More people can be involved in the changes. The leaders need to ensure they continually show the relevance of each of the projects to the shared vision and maintain the urgency levels.



Anchor new approaches in the culture

Perhaps the most difficult part of a change is to embed the changes and the continuous need for technological change into the culture. We should not expect people to share your interest or belief in the benefits of the changes at the beginning of the process. Changing culture in an organization comes at the end of the implementation or transformational process. Changing culture in an organization comes at the end of the implementation or transformational process. It depends on results – on demonstrating that the new ways work and are superior to the old ways.





Importance of measurement

Any changes implemented in an organization needs to be monitored. By monitoring the progress of change, identifying the values and benefits of the change, identifying how people reacts to change, getting to know the cost involved will ensure that the change process is successful. Thus close monitoring is needed.



Conclusion

Economic and social forces drive the need for major change in organizations: technological change, international economic integration, the maturation of markets in developed countries and the fall of communist and socialist regime. Every country will have a range of specific economic and social forces driving the need for change. These forces might vary from moving from an unskilled manufacturing economic base to “ hi-tech” production, or from a traditional primary industry base to one that the “ value-adds”. Social unrest, unemployment and changing citizen aspirations can all contribute to the need for organizations to change not only what they do but how they do it.

The nine strategies are a guideline for successful implementation