Change How?

Change, we all want it, but we don’t all know how to effectively achieve it. I have been told many times in the past vague advice like “make a plan and then set some goals for accomplishment.” Well, this widely held and simple view of how to accomplish change may be effective in, let’s say, losing weight or getting a better job, but it is not nearly so effective in the sense of creating change in the workplace. Change becomes a much more complicated idea when you consider changing the behaviors of others. Any of us can make a plan and change our own behaviors, but how would you go about changing the existing values and behaviors of your subordinates or maybe even peers and superiors in the organization?

If you are looking to create change in the organization, you cannot afford to be unfamiliar with Kotter’s 8 Steps for Change Management. I will briefly describe each of these steps and what they mean to creating change in your organization.

1.       Create a Sense of Urgency

Everyone has their own agendas. How does your change issue rise to the top of everyone’s list? Give them an unfailing reason. Phrase your change as “If we don’t ______, then ________ will happen.” Your reason for change needs to be just and clearly understandable. For example, “if we do not re-engineer are existing production processes, then we will lose our competitive edge and go out of business.”

2.       Form a Guiding Coalition

There needs to be an assembled team with the power to create the change. I cannot express how important it is that this team has a high degree of decision power. If your team is not directly empowered to make project decisions, then results will be poor. All stakeholders in the change movement should be able to recognize these leaders.

3.       Develop a Vision

Just as your organization needs a vision to work towards, project leaders should have a very clear idea of what the future should “look” and “feel” like once change has been implemented. The vision needs to be simple and easy to communicate. All project stakeholders should be able to identify and understand the vision.

4.       Communicate the Vision

The guiding coalition and top executives need to re-iterate the vision through all levels of the organization “like a broken record.” Every project needs buy-in, and continuous communication is the only way to effectively achieve buy-in from all organizational members.

5.       Empower Others to Act

Empower other to act on the vision by breaking down existing barriers to change. Is there a fear of change in the organization? Address these issues openly with employees and involve users in the project to reduce resistance to change. Employees who are involved in the project will be empowered to take actions and develop behaviors that support the vision.

6.       Generating Short-term Wins

The change management process can be long and drawn-out. Continue to empower organizational leaders and employees by creating short-term wins. Take time recognize and celebrate the small wins.

7.       Don’t Let Up

Once the change has been implemented, develop systems and make decisions that support the attitudes and behaviors that are in-line with the new culture. Reward those who stand out and remove the laggards who refuse to commit to emulating the new accepted behaviors.

8.       Continue to Create More Change

Continue to express how the new behaviors and norms support the change vision and, in turn, the organizational vision.

Have you taken these steps when handling change in your organization? How?