Achieving a D-minus when implementing change?

With more than 79% of organisations needing to adapt their business every two to five years, change is an inevitable reality for any executive.

However, most organisational change initiatives fail and do not deliver on their promise. Executives often argue that the more they advocate for change, the more pushback they receive from employees.?

According to?Bridges Business Consultancy, 48% of organisations fail to reach at least half of their strategic targets, and just seven percent of business leaders believe their organisations are excellent at strategy implementation.

READ: They don’t resist your idea, they resist change

The answer lies within several factors: poor management, inadequate planning, lack of communication and people’s natural predisposition to resist change.

In a study of 1,284 executives it was found that 33% of failure to implement change is 39% due to employee resistance and 33% to inadequate managerial support.? If your employees are not supporting the change, your transformation will never succeed.

The most challenging aspect of strategy execution is?ineffective sensemaking, where employees struggle to interpret and apply the new strategy within their specific roles and contexts.

Poor communication, lack of employee buy-in and ineffective risk management are some of the other reasons why strategies fail.

WATCH: How to cope with change

What drives successful implementation

It is found that when the six drivers for change are effectively executed – care, lead, build, empower, inspire and collaborate – the success rate is enhanced more than 2.6 times, significantly improving success from 34% to 73%.

People are more likely to respond positively to change if you:

·????? Clearly define the outcome sought

·????? Support and encourage employees

·????? Monitor and manage risk

·????? Inspire and lead the change

·????? Have a dedicated change management team in place

·????? Create a road map that outlines the various phases and milestones

These findings are all well and good, but it doesn’t start here. It starts with goalsetting which is often so poorly defined and vague that it’s near impossible to execute.

Whether specific to change or the company’s overall goals, a strategic road map will increase retention rates and adoption to change.? Clearly defined and measured expectations are strongly linked with overall employee satisfaction and unitedly working towards the success of the organisation.

Use the formula SMARTER (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Evaluated, Reviewed) when setting goals. Regularly track progress and ensure accountability measures are in place.??

How to execute successfully

Strategic execution is the process of translating your company’s strategic objectives into action to achieve the desired results.

However?60% and 90% of strategic plans?never launch indicating the importance of not only a clearly defined strategy but a plan on? how the goals will be reached and measured.?

I like the way that Harvard Business School has provided a succinct five-step plan to successfully execute a strategy:

Step 1: Commit to a strategic plan

Sounds obvious but execution comes only after all decision makers have agreed on the plan. ?In companies where execution is weak most employees believe that strategic decisions are made impromptu or impulsively.

By communicating the plan with employees, they are more likely to be aligned to the same goals, sharing the understanding and need for a new direction.

Step 2: Align jobs to strategy

Most companies do not align employee roles to the execution of the strategy. Use the Job Design Optimization Tool (JDOT) to access whether the various roles within the organisation are designed towards successful execution.

Step 3: Communicate clearly to empower employees

More than 95 percent?of employees do not understand or are unaware of their company’s strategy. Yet these very employees with their daily tasks are the drivers executing the strategy. Their knowledge of how their individual contribution forms part of the overall success is vital in boosting performance.

Provide training to managers to communicate effectively the various team members’ role and impact on the overall strategy, and celebrate milestones along the way towards reaching the overarching strategic goals.

Step 4: Measure and monitor performance

Consistently assess progress throughout the implementation phase, not only at the end. Develop KPIs with short-, medium- and long-term milestones to regularly track and monitor performance. This allows for adaptations to be implemented mid-way without hindering the success of the strategy.

Step 5: Balance innovation and control

Often, innovation can disrupt strategy execution. Although it’s vital to empower employees and encourage them to brainstorm, take calculated risks and experiment, these innovations need to be done within the parameters of the strategic goals.

At the risk of derailing your own plan, develop a process whereby barriers, challenges and opportunities are evaluated against the overall goals. Know upfront which parts of the strategy are non-negotiable and be in control of maintaining the focus on the strategy to avoid pivoting in new directions.

Managing the execution of a strategy is not an easy task. It requires a host of different skills and the ability to manage challenges along the way. Empower yourself with the knowledge by enrolling for a strategic management course before you set-out to implement change or new direction. These skills will not only ensure a successful roll-out but also empower you as a leader.

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