Tuesday 19 November 2019

3 WAYS TO SECURE CHANGE




I was recently talking with a client about the importance of leadership in change and it reminded me of a story about teaching.

About 20 years ago I was asked “If you didn’t understand something at school who did you ask, the person next to you, a friend or the teacher?” I said I’d ask my friend before I troubled the teacher.

In that moment I realised that leadership is important (it would not be a successful class without a teacher) but perhaps it was not the most important factor, or indeed greatest motivator for my progress. Peer groups, colleagues and intrinsic (motivated by internal desire) and extrinsic (motivated by external reward or recognition) motivators are perhaps more important and the role of the teacher is as much to create the right environment as to give the right answer.

All this is part of the messiness of culture. I believe above Adrian Moorehouse’s Olympic Pool there is a banner that says “We create the environments in which success is inevitable”. So it is worth exploring some of the elements that help change stick.


ANCHORING THE CHANGE THROUGH ORGANIZATION’S STRUCTURE

Changing the structure and reporting can embed change. It immediately highlights where the problems are occurring, where there is resistance, and this allows management to focus their effort precisely on the point where it is needed. However, not all change can be managed through structure. Moreover structural change is complex and costly and often creates anxiety and unhelpful politics.


ANCHORING THE CHANGE THROUGH RECOGNITION AND REWARD SYSTEM

One of the main reasons why change initiatives do not stick is because the support systems are not aligned with the change. When a change is implemented, the support systems, including incentives, recognition, reward and performance measures, should support, encourage and reward successful change.

ANCHORING THE CHANGE IN THE ORGANIZATION’S CULTURE

The third method of anchoring the change is to combine hard change with a change in the organization’s culture. This is by far the most difficult type of change to achieve–creating organization culture is a book in itself–but when it does occur, the change can be most profound and widely owned and accepted.

The third method of anchoring the change is to combine hard change with a change in the organization’s culture. This is by far the most difficult type of change to achieve–creating organization culture is a book in itself–but when it does occur, the change can be most profound and widely owned and accepted.

To achieve this, you’ll need to
1.    Change all the symbols and stories of the old culture and create new ones. See Cultural Web https://www.leadershipcentre.org.uk/artofchangemaking/theory/cultural-web/
2.    Make a bold statement about the new culture and both communicate and demonstrate it.
3.    Ensure all management and ,leadership model the new culture
4.    Systematically remove any people or impediments to new culture
5.    Align with organization’s recognition and reward system
6.    Regularly review using evidence from customers, staff, other stakeholders

I look forward to comments which are always welcome and am always grateful for recommended books, videos or research.

@TimHJRogers +447797762051
https://www.linkedin.com/in/timhjrogers/
MBA (Management Consulting) Projects & Change Practitioner,
http://www.timhjrogers.com

#LEADERSHIP #CHANGE #PROJECTS


No comments:

Post a Comment