Implementing Corporate Change
A growing organization is a changing organization. Implementing change can be a very tough process if enough thought is not put in the beginning. Very few people welcome change. Anything that might shake up the status quo is met with skepticism and resistance. Here is what management guru Kotler taught us about implementing change:
Create urgency: To spark initial motivation and to get things moving, you need develop a sense of urgency amongst all stakeholders. Open honest dialogue about the future of your company.
Form a powerful coalition: Take on board all managers who will be affected by the change. If you are cutting costs, you will need to take on board not only the upper management but also the lower-level managers of the company. Inability to do so will result in demoralized human resource. When your employees are on board, the internal transition will be smoother. The best way to go about it would be to get managers personally involved. Richard Branson, CEO Virgin Group once said that letting every employee know their impact on implementing change would greatly augment profitability as it would make change a personal responsibility.
Create a vision for change: As a change manager, you need to come up with an effective transformation plan. The plan should include long term and short term objectives along with the responsibilities of key people involved in the process. It should be flexible and linked to your vision.
Communicate the vision: To keep the vision fresh in everyone’s mind, make sure you communicate it frequently and root it in everything you pull off.
Remove obstacles: Make sure that performance, compensation and job descriptions are in line with your change vision. Identify people who are resisting change and take action quickly. Reward people who make change happen. Choose change leaders in your organization who will help you deliver smoothly.
Short term wins: To stop negative thinkers from hurting your progress, make sure you celebrate the achievement of short term goals. Go ahead with the sure-fire projects first so that it is easier to justify investment as you progress. Any early failure might hurt your entire change process.
Build on the Change: Don’t declare victory too early. Change needs to run deep. Set achievable goals to continue moving with speed and vigor. Keep on bringing new change agents.
Anchor the changes in corporate culture: Mention success stories about the change and discuss progress frequently. Work consistently to ensure that it becomes core of your organization.
Remember that change is a gradual process. Frequent communication and employee support programs would result in consistent progress. Don’t forget to keep an open door policy to welcome feedback.
