We all know that managing through change is never easy. But you can increase your chances of inducing change without chaos by leading through change instead of just managing through change?
Do you know how often major change initiatives succeed? The success rate is not good. In fact, a 2013 survey of global senior executives by Strategy& (formerly Booz & Company) and the Katzenbach Center reveals that the success rate of major change initiatives is only 54 percent. Now if you were a major league hitter, that would be phenomenal. If you were a shooting foul shots in the NBA, it wouldn’t be acceptable. And I would suspect a nearly 50% failure rate in your organization would not be acceptable.
Since change is inevitable, what should you and I be doing within our organizations to minimize chaos and maximize success?
Start at the Top – Although it’s important to engage our teams at every level early on, all successful change management initiatives start at the top. They start with a committed and well-aligned group of senior leaders who are strongly supported by the CEO or CEO equivalent. This alignment can’t be taken for granted. On the contrary, work must be done in advance to ensure that everyone agrees about the case for the change and the pathway to implementation. So, if you are senior leader, are you fully supporting the change?
Involve Every Layer – Some leaders often fail to take into account the extent to which midlevel and frontline people can make or break a change initiative. The path to rolling out change is incredibly smoother if these folks are sought out early for input on issues that will undoubtedly affect their jobs. These folks people tend to be rich repositories of knowledge about potential pitfalls, technical and logistical issues that will need to be addressed, and how the rest of the organization may react to the impending changes. In addition, their full-hearted support will smooth the way for complex change initiatives, whereas their resistance will make implementation an ongoing challenge.
Communicate, communicate, communicate – We have discussed communication at length here in various articles. And that is because it is so important. When change is significant and disruptive, you cannot over-communicate. Leaders often make the mistake of imagining that if they convey a strong message of change up front, people will understand what to do and why. Nothing could be further from the truth. Powerful and sustained change requires constant communication, not only throughout the rollout but after the major elements of the plan are in place. The more kinds of communication employed, the more effective they are. The more disruptive the change, the more communication is required.
Lead Outside the Lines – Major and disruptive change has the best chance of succeeding in an organization when everyone with authority and influence is involved in the process. In addition to those who hold formal positions of power—the organization’s recognized and appointed leaders—this group from outside the lines includes folks whose power is more informal and is related to their tenure, their expertise, the breadth of their network of influence, or to their other personal qualities that engender trust and make others want to follow them. They can be found throughout any organization. They might include a well-respected field supervisor, an innovative project manager, or a receptionist who’s been with the organization for 25 years. Organizations that succeed at implementing major changes identify these people very early and find ways to “sell” them on the change and then involve them as ambassadors, participants, and guides.
What about you? Are you facing big changes in your organization? Are you about to lead some segment of your organization through a big change? How do you plan to do that? Do you believe that chaos is part of the change process?
Our job as leaders is to lead in good times and bad. We are tested in times of change. And change is happening all around us. I hope these words will help you lead your organization with little, or no, chaos.
What experiences are you willing to share in the comments below?
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Can There Be Change Without Chaos?: We all know that managing through change is never easy. But you can increase… http://t.co/M0VIAE0kh1
Kevin, I almost feel as though the “sell” is the most important part. Showing the reasons for change. The people most difficult to except the change, may feel more successful with out it. Then sometimes the easiest way to change is to “Just Do It” dont give anyone a choice, limits the discussion and explanations.
I have been on both sides of this issue. I have been senior management. And I have been rank and file. And sometimes as rank and file I longed for a “just do it” approach. Especially when The change was going to be less than helpful to me personally. No amount of selling was going to change it. It was still lipstick on a pig.
And I have been on the other side. And found myself selling while my people just wanted me to get in there and roll up my sleeves and help them get the change over and done with.
But your point is well taken.
Controlled change. It’s something that Quality management systems are either now under a requirement to adhere to are are soon to be (API / ISO). In the MFG. world, soon there will be planned risk assessments, planned contingency planning and planned management of change. So far, the hardest part I can see, is the “planned” part of all of them.
Scott, I work for an organization that is often “change fatigued” due to the frequent and disruptive changes. I find myself wanting to have things slow down a little and let us maximize and monetize the last change we just went through.
Completely understand that sentiment Kevin. I actually think that is part of the drive for API and ISO to start including Management of change, Risk assessment and contingency planning onto their requirements. ISO still “hints” at it, but API has required procedures for how an organization manages change. I’ll just say when I look at the requirements from an outsiders view, they make complete business sense. When in the fire, they are a pain in the butt and I’ll say the managing of the managing of change is a cultural shift that is stuck in mud.
Interesting and right on point! Just this weekend I had begun an article entitled “Leading Through Change.” You beat me to it!
Send it! Change is such a HUGE part of our lives, so we need all the help we can get on this subject. Write it! Send it! And we will post it!
Janet, there is so much material to write on this topic. Please keep writing it and send it as soon as you can. We are a little low on our “Johnson Quotient” these days.
Inferred in “Communicate, communicate, communicate” is having a good feedback loop. Assess the effects of change and adjust as/when necessary.
Great article!
Scott, you are absolutely correct. I had discussed the feedback loop in an earlier article. And your reminder on this one is welcome to be sure.