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| Extensive research over the years has shown that in order to increase the chances that your change effort will
deliver real value and produce lasting change, several conditions are necessary (scroll down or click on the individual links below for additional information on a specific condition): |
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| Change Facilitators can provide support in any of these areas. |
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| Understanding that Change is a Journey |
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The road from where you are now to where you want to be at some future point in time is not a straight line, and change is never "complete" per se. You can deliver measurable, agreed results in one or more business areas, but as you
are doing this the world around you continues to change - that is, your competitors and the markets you operate in. So in fact, companies that excel are the ones who adopt a culture of Continuous Improvement.
Another important point to realise is that sometimes, what you think is the best way forward at one point in time may
actually change along the way. This is not failure - it's part of the learning process.
For example, someone in your team or external to your business may bring new intelligence to bear which may have a critical impact on the
direction you are taking. It would be foolhardy not to review the current situation and adapt your solution to either take advantage of - or
counteract, whatever the case may be - the new development.
This point is driven home by gurus Henry
Mintzberg and Jonathan Gosling in a recent article from Harvard Business Review:
"Change, to be successful, cannot follow some mechanistic schedule of steps, of formulation followed by implementation.
Action and reflection have to blend in a natural flow. And that has to include collaboration."
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Facilitating Change] |
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| Having a Compelling Vision |
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A clearly articulated vision means being able to communicate it in words that are inspiring and compelling, that the key stakeholders
can agree, understand, and buy into. Because you will need to obtain buy-in at all levels of the organisation, and will need change champions who believe in what you want to achieve.
People need to feel there is a good reason for them to change, because it involves hard work and self-sacrifice. Your employees need to know what's in it for them to feel comfortable about change and to carry it out with enthusiasm.
People's behaviour is shaped by their values and beliefs, and the culture in which they operate. And changing engrained behaviours is an arduous task. This is usually the most complex aspect of any change programme, no matter how bold or how modest.
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Facilitating Change] |
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| Reinforcement Systems |
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You may be able to convince and motivate your people about the need for change in the short term, but unless there are mechanisms in place to reinforce the required behaviour, motivation will quickly dissipate and people will eventually lose interest and go back to their old ways. You need to develop the means to anchor the changes where these don't exist. You'll need to look at implementing new, or reviewing existing tools
and/or systems that facilitate and support:
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- the changes,
- the open communication of success,
- financial and non-financial rewards,
- new or revised roles & responsibilities,
- and pay systems.
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Facilitating Change] |
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| The Right Skills |
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Driving change through to deliver successful and enduring results requires a different set of skills. The team facilitating the change
must have a combination of strong leadership skills, people skills, business acuity, and in most cases, a deep understanding of the business
application of technology. In addition, to enable your people to adapt to the new ways of doing things and to use new or upgraded systems, you will
need to provide the support and training they require. People often reject new systems or methods because they aren't adequately
supported in the effort. Effective support may take the form of mentoring, coaching, training, workshops, and-on-the job skills-transfer.
Remember that developing and acquiring the right skills takes time, especially when behaviours need to change or the changes are large-scale.
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Facilitating Change] |
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