Embarking on Change? Read this First!

Executives and leaders are under increasing pressure due to the number and nature of the disruptions to their business. Accenture research finds the rate of change is not only high, it’s accelerating.

This frenetic pace of change is taking its toll. People are feeling worn out, overwhelmed and, in some cases, at breaking point. Strategically, it’s hard knowing what moves to make and how to plan for the future.

And yet, some people and organisations thrive amidst change. How so?

Having worked with more than one hundred clients over the past 15-years, I’ve found those that succeed excel in these three areas:

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1. They have clarity on the type of transformation they’re undertaking

If you’re not sure exactly what type of transformation or change you’re embarking on then it’s going to be hard setting objectives, engaging people and resourcing your efforts properly.

In some cases the change will be relatively small, simple and low risk; in others, it?could be large, strategically complex and putting careers on the line.

Ask yourself which of these types of transformation are you embarking on:

• Uplifting the productivity and performance of your people?
• Incremental improvements to do things better, faster or cheaper?
• Significantly changing the model for delivering what you currently do?
• Fundamentally changing the structure or competitive profile of your business?

Clarifying the type of change you’re pursuing will help you maximise your chances of success, and you can find tools to help you in this process in my (free) resource, Unpacking Your Team’s Readiness For Transformation & Change.

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2. They pay attention to the process of change

Opening a window, for example, creates change: it was closed, now it’s open. But don’t be fooled, there’s more to a simple change ‘process’ than meets the eye.

Why did you consider opening the window? Was it to get more air in the room after you burnt your toast? Was it because someone asked you to do it? Was it to call out to a friend passing by?

Once you have a reason to do something you have to be motivated to do it, then?plan your approach, weigh up the options and so on.

This same line of thinking applies to any change project, whether it’s personal, team or organisationally oriented.

Breaking it down into component parts helps you find your strengths, weaknesses and gaps so you can minimise the risk of the process unravelling. Again, you’ll find a useful tool for doing this assessment in Unpacking Your Team’s Readiness For Transformation & Change.

3. They have modern leadership skills for managing the human side of the process

Tony Schwarz of The Energy Project highlights the importance of the human element when he observes:

“Transforming a business also depends on transforming individuals.”

I’ve seen a lot of ideas and plans that made perfect sense on paper … and also learned that it’s the human element that will ultimately determine implementation success.

While it’s tempting to jump straight into the what, why and how of the process, the best place to start is with your people: What binds you? What is your cultural setting? Is it strong enough to see you through the process?

You’ll be well served to identify people’s motivation ‘styles’. Do they thrive on the lure of success? Do they prefer the status quo? Do they seek a balance of the two?

There’s a seldom a one-size-fits-all solution to the human element of change, it requires experience, good judgment and testing to get it right. When things deviate from the ‘plan’, you’ll need to be adept at changing course or adapting.

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Transformational Change Awaits

If change was easy, I doubt you’d be reading this nor would we be talking about it in this level of detail.

Teams with a clear vision, strong cultural foundation and the leadership skills to drive change will find themselves on a journey of exhilaration rather than exasperation.

Focusing on the type of transformation, the change process and the human side will drastically increase your ability to deliver and sustain results.

I encourage you to make use of my change readiness tools to help you prepare – it’s a relatively small investment that pays off many times over when you consider the yawning gap between success and failure.

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Phil Preston supports leaders and teams in driving innovation, transformation and change.

He’s a keynote speaker, strategist and facilitator who is the author of Connecting Profit with Purpose and the co-founder of Purpose Ignition and Impact Hour.