Usually when change is mentioned or introduced in organisations, it often triggers a fear response. This is why most people are so resistant to move away from the familiar to the unknown.
In overcoming the resistance to change organisational leaders need to overcome the inherent ownership challenges of ‘what I have and what I know’. Organisation change falters when employees fail to buy- in into the idea they do not identify with. It is the role of the leadership to communicate an appealing vision of change in combination with a vision of continuity. The process therefore requires that all people are assured that which defines the organisational identity will be preserved despite the changes. In instances where the change is that identity all people should be involved in coming up with the desired identity. Allow employees to incubate the idea inside them, invest in it and let them test it. Leaders themselves need to really brace for a wave of resistance and be ready to face the challenges. It is a requirement that change drivers master the battle of turfs. Resistance is managed by probing the issues behind it.
Before the start of the change process an organisation must evidence widespread dissatisfaction with the status quo. Watch out for rigidity, over-control, old systems/practises etc. as they may prevent change from happening. Most organisations are slow moving objectives and the tendency of maintaining rigidity and excessive levels of controls are inherent. This is especially so when the situations are deemed right because they adhere to internal controls. The likelihood of embracing a new culture of experimentation is far-fetched as there is fear to fail or doing things wrong. For change to happen nothing should be regarded as permanent any more. Almost everything must be challenged and be opened for improvement. This is so because over years employees build internal walls around their territories. Demolishing these walls only happens if organisations open up and embrace new ways of doing things.
With all change journeys, often times everyone feels motivated at the start and all look forward to the desired results. However hard times come in the middle and all efforts look like a failure. Organisations encounter moments when it seems like they cannot move forward. Some will start feeling uncomfortable and the goals seem far away and even the change drivers may start having doubts. But the reality with change as with any new initiative, there is a good chance of running into trouble before the desired results are achieved. Such problems tempt employees to give up this initiative and start something new again or worse still recoil to old accustomed ways of doing things. Obstacles and delays happen in any change process and stopping too soon is by definition a failure. Mastering change requires persistence and perseverance. Do not blame but rather encourage. Remember to always assess and adjust. Those who recognise the struggles of the middle usually succeed. They have the stamina and are flexible and they expect obstacles on the road to success. These obstacles may be faced by remembering the following tips:
Tip 1: Identify and appoint change champions who employees believe in, trust and listen to. Change champions should have a common set of definitions- approaches and simple checklist that everyone is familiar with. Poor communication often fails change efforts.
Tip 2: Integrate your plans for change with your overall plans, make change part and parcel of the business plan, never should it be an add on managed separately and independently. Look closely at your project design - does it address the underlying processes of getting the work done e.g. performance management, resource allocation? Isn’t there an over reliance on IT to provide the magic bullet and not explicitly tackling the necessary behavioural change needed?
#Tip 3: Managers accountable for making change happen should systematically and rigorously appraise behaviours accordingly.
#Tip 4: Keep your team in the loop and open channels for collegial information sharing
Usually the content of change management is reasonably correct, but its implementation has been woefully underdeveloped hence many corporates change efforts have been greeted with rolling eyes from employees. Be always mindful that there is no panacea to change implementation but that with any change process every two steps forward often are followed with one step behind. Setbacks are a natural part of the process. Change needs to be embraced as an opportunity and not as a threat. So, with a mind-set of persistence, organisations can move towards the desired change they envisage.
Change initiative is like the start of a marathon. Change will be occurring rapidly in some units whereas in others it would not even have gotten under way. Meaningful change isn’t easy but you don’t have to be omniscient to pull it off.
In conclusion change gurus note that it is very difficult for leaders to spell out in advance precisely what the future should look like to many especially now where other swift changes may overtake undergoing change initiatives. What is important however is to remain guided by organisation’s strategic direction, values and mandate.
Emmanuel Jinda is the Managing Consultant of PROSERVE Consulting Group, a leading supplier of Professional Human Resources and Management services locally, regionally and internationally. He can be contacted at Tel: 263 773004143 or 263 242 772778 or visit our website at www.proservehr.com