Creating a successful change process
I met with a client recently to help map out a change process. This change is going to be critical to the ongoing success of the organisation; so it was really critical to get the planning right.
It was an interesting process, because the more we talked, the more that had to be done prior to any change being announced. By the end, we had a really comprehensive plan that addressed contingencies, key stakeholders and the specific logistics. It also kept looking back to the broader organizational purpose to check: will this achieve what we need it to achieve?
I have no doubt there will be a few bumps in the road; there always are with any big change process. But the rigour, thought and planning that have gone into this project mean that hopefully most of those bumps will have been anticipated and planned for. Ultimately resulting in a successful and sustainable change for the organisation.
A Stitch in Time Saves Nine
The whole process reminded me of a blog I wrote years ago now, entitled “a stitch in time saves nine.” It is so tempting to rush ahead when you know what needs to be done; to want to start implementing, to start the ball rolling. Even more so when you sense the unease of the organization who know “something is up”, they just don’t know what or when (and usually, the why!) It is human nature to want to pacify, to put people at ease, to put people out of their misery.
But simply reacting is never as effective as a considered, structured and planned approach. Even if it is more time consuming in the initial stages (and it will be). Being very clear on the what, the who and the why before you start doing will ultimately yield a much better result. For all affected.
Thanks to Erika Aoyama for the image.
