Transcending Change

In a business world where continual, rapid change is the norm, it stands to reason that only those organisations that can embrace and work with change will survive over the long term. You often hear that change begins at the top
because without the leadership on board it makes it pretty difficult to change the systems that support the old way of working. Not only does change require the top of the organisation being open to doing something different it also requires all employees in the business being open to doing something different as well

Often change ‘programmes’ fail to achieve their stated objective and vision because there is a lack of connection between the top and bottom in the organisation. Often there are assumptions made about what the current position is and what everyone will be doing differently after the change.

The key to success is understanding the needs and aspirations for the change and then putting a plan in place to get you there. Managing change is not about ‘controlling’ the necessary psychological impacts of change but more about having a mechanism by which they can be acknowledged, listened to and acted upon.

Moving from where you are to where you want to be is the transition that gets you to the change. Listening to everyone along the way, making decisions about what you’ve heard and then taking action is the key to keeping momentum along the journey. Think of it as a journey on a motorway. You need to take regular breaks at the Services for food and water and comfort breaks. The concerns, questions and emotional responses you experience yourself and notice others experiencing are the ‘Services’ stop along the way. Sometimes the car breaks down and you need to call for help. Sometimes the journey takes hours, even days. Sometimes you have to turn back.

When we talk about rapid change, we also need to talk about how quickly people can come to terms with change. Some people drive fast sports cars and get to their destination quicker. Others rely on public transport and may have to make lots of connections along the network to get to their final destination.

It’s the same in organisations. Some people love change so much that they have moved on before the word change has even been spoken. Others hate change and see it as an unnecessary distraction from just getting on with the job.

Coping with change means making connection with all stakeholders in an organisation; even if the change comes with a positive message, some stakeholders will have emotional responses to the change that need to be acknowledged.

Sometimes change feels like a steep climb, organisationally you aspire to be at the peak of your market and individually you want to get to the top to appreciate the view. And yet, it all seems too much like hard work.

Whatever view you have, think about change as an opportunity for growth. It is about experiencing the journey and discovering, creating and exploring something different.

© Ro Gorell 2007