Why Is Managing Change So Hard?

Few times in history has the millennia-old adage, “Change is the only constant,” been more appropriate, perhaps, than the last few years. On a global basis, we’ve experienced constant economic, environmental, political, racial, and social change – not to mention a global pandemic. To say that individuals, organizations, and even countries have struggled to adapt and thrive amidst all this change would be an understatement. Some, however, have managed to persevere. What’s their secret?

The leadership and adaptive qualities that make it possible for some to succeed where others do not are the focus on an essay by Heather Laychak , Vice President and Chief People Officer for The Aerospace Corporation. Her essay can be found in the book, The Secret Sauce for Leading Transformational Change, for which I am leader author. With the essay, “Transformational Change and the Employee Lifecycle,” Heather joined the voices of several dozen senior business and HR leaders, experts, coaches, and consultants in sharing insights on what it takes to lead transformational change successfully.

In her essay Heather writes, “Organizational resilience and adaptability are competitive differentiators and there is no shortage of change management models or business cases to reference. So, why is managing change so hard and how do we get better at it?”

That’s a good question, and with more than 20 years of experience in Human Resources in both for profit and nonprofit companies across multiple industries including aerospace and defense, academia, retail, entertainment, and healthcare – Heather is in a great position to offer us some answers. Organizations consist of people and people, in general, don’t like change. Organizational purpose, empathic leaders who inspire, leader sponsorship, making change management part of organizational development programs, and hiring people who can thrive in the face of stress and ambiguity are what’s needed.

Heather’s full essay can be found in The Secret Sauce book. Below are some of her insights on leadership, building organizational change capabilities, and embedding change resiliency throughout the employee lifecycle.

Empathy, Organizational Purpose, and Sponsorship

Talking about transformational change as “a significant shift in business strategy, operations, or culture that requires radical changes to the organization’s current state . . . that if not addressed, will potentially pose an existential threat to an organization’s viability” will likely scare the living daylights out of your workforce – causing them to lose focus and run towards the nearest exit.

Transformational change leaders recognize that change is much more than a process. It is an experience that generates a wide range of emotions, which is why the most successful leaders approach transformational change with empathy and anchor their change in organizational purpose.

Research from McKinsey and Company shows that 70% of organizational transformations fail, and the primary reasons are due to employee resistance and lack of management support. When leaders approach change from an empathic perspective, they are less likely to face resistance and more likely to generate trust and inspiration.

Establishing a strong sense of organizational purpose is foundational to transformational change because it conveys the “why,” but this is easier said than done. It requires a relentless commitment to overcommunicating with your workforce and customers so they can visualize the changes you are pursuing, the drivers of change, the consequences of not changing, the opportunities the change will create, and the path and timeframe for realizing the change. Equally important is to convey what is not changing, such as your company values.

Successful change efforts share a common denominator, leader sponsorship. Sponsors are in positions with organizational influence and they can help remove barriers, allocate needed resources, and provide needed emotional support. In addition, they lift you up when the going gets tough.

Building Change Resiliency

Leading change while trying to build organizational change capacity is like building the plane while you are already in flight. Building a change resilient organization starts with hiring people who are adaptable and can thrive in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world.

Resilient people demonstrate flexibility vs. rigidity. They are self-aware and possess strong coping mechanisms when faced with stress or ambiguity. They know how and when to seek the help of others and demonstrate perseverance when the going gets tough. Equip your hiring managers with behavioral interview questions to assess for resilience such as “Tell me about a time when you faced a situation when you had to adapt your behavior in response to changing circumstances” or “When you have faced a stressful situation, how did you respond, what did you do?”

Hiring people who are agile and can adapt to change is a great start, but to be one of the 30% of organizations that succeed at transformational change, you also need to incorporate change management into your people and organizational development programs. Typically change management experts reside in Human Resources and do not get me wrong, they should. But how much more effective will your change effort be if your employees, regardless of role or level, have the knowledge and skills to meaningfully contribute to the transformational change agenda?

When transformational change needs to occur and there is no sign of a fire anywhere to motivate change, incentive strategies must be designed to motivate, recognize, and reward change agents (at every level, not just at the top). Create an inclusive environment where everyone can contribute to the purpose and shape the future of the organization, and be recognized for their role.

“Leadership is a Behavior, not a Position”

If every employee is empowered to think, act, and be treated as a leader during times of change, they will. Leadership can be demonstrated by anyone at any level. Transformational change takes a village. Acquire and build a resilient village because the only thing you can count on is change. And it is the collective power of people that makes change possible.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Secret Sauce for Leading Transformational Change, from lead author Ian Ziskin and with contributions from dozens of senior business leaders, HR leaders, experts, coaches, and consultants, shares insight, vivid stories, lessons learned, and best practices for what it takes to lead, survive, and thrive in periods of transformational change. Learn more at https://www.transformationalchangebook.com .