“Change is Existence.”
—Branch Rickey
Change is always difficult…for individuals as well as organizations. But change is a constant. The only question is whether you will be intentional about Change, or reactive to Change.
Every organization faces challenges that require them to make changes to the way they do business. Whether they are large or small, driving these change efforts is a primary task of leaders.
Deciding on Strategy and Tactics is difficult enough. But by addressing two important factors — Culture and Change Readiness — any strategy or tactic you choose will be more successful.
Factor One: Do you have the Culture you Need…or Want?
Think of it your organization as a garden. You can decide what to plant, choose your seeds, and tend the garden to remove weeds and foster plant growth. But unless you start with good soil, nothing can grow.
Your Culture is your soil. It is the environment in which everyone — employees, customers, shareholders, the community — can either flourish and grow, or wither and die.
Despite its importance, many organizations are not intentional about their Culture. Whatever values are espoused, the reality can be much different. There can be “thermal layers” that block or alter the values, sub-cultures that have different values, and individuals who hold conflicting values.
This difference between the Espoused or Desired Culture and the Operational Culture (the one that truly drives behaviors and decision-making) can make or break your Change effort, and possibly your organization.
Factor Two: Are Your People Ready for Change?
Humans are remarkably predictable when it comes to change.
We don’t like it.
Big changes, little changes, beneficial changes, harmful changes; doesn’t matter to us. Our initial reaction is always to deny and resist.
Change efforts both large and small often fail because leaders do not address the human aspect of the change. They build a fabulous business case for change; the intellectual reasons that the change is positive.
The problem is that all change is personal. Individual change always precedes organizational change. And all individual change requires addressing the Emotional issues as well as the Intellectual ones.
All of us go through four very distinct phases when facing a change:
First, we Avoid the change, either by pretending it has nothing to do with us or by going into denial.
Next, we begin to Resist the change, either actively or passively.
Then we move to Explore; we begin to look for information about the change.
Finally, we get to Commit, and when we do, the change becomes the new norm.
Sometimes we can move through this process in seconds. Other times it can take weeks, months, or even years.
The key to Change Readiness is to understand this process and help people move through it as quickly as possible.
Addressing These Factors
If you’re a leader or someone responsible for a Change Effort of any shape or size, you can take the following specific steps:
Your Culture:
- Be Intentional about your Culture.
- Make sure you have Value Alignment throughout the organization.
- Know the True Nature of your Culture and any differences between the Espoused/Desired Culture and the Operational Culture, including:
- What’s important
- What’s rewarded and punished
- What the “rules” are
- How people “show up”
- How it is supporting or hindering your Change strategy and tactics
- Take steps to address the Change Resistant parts of your Culture.
Your People:
- Create an Emotional as well as Intellectual case for change.
- Accept that people will react with Avoidance & Resistance…at least, at first.
- Make it okay for people to be wherever they are in the process.
- Help people move through the process by addressing their concerns.
- Watch for “Commitment Theater”—people who are acting committed but who are not there yet.
Factor in your Culture and your people, and you’ll increase your chances to make a change for the better.
“It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.”
— W. Edwards Demming
Contact Success Authorities for more information on Culture and Change.
Ronn Lehmann advises organizations and leaders on the human factors that determine their culture. Lehmann developed the Cultural Audit Process, which is designed to provide an outside perspective of an organization’s culture: what’s important, what’s rewarded and punished, what the rules are, and how people “show up.”