A Quick Note on Change Management

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. ~Henri Bergson

In recent years, we have been assailed by an ever growing literature, conferences, and talks highlighting the fact that business and way of doing business is undergoing tremendous changes. In reality, everything is changing at a pace that we would not even notice. Everything is changing. The only thing that remains constant is change itself. An organization who cannot cope or innovate to changes will be left behind. But for those who can ‘adapt’ and ‘adopt’ to changes, will remain competitive and will lead the pack.

• Here are some change management basics that you should consider and help you implement organizational changes:
• Deal with people involved in the change process with patience, gentle humor, grace, persistence, pragmatism, respect, understanding, and support.
• Take a long and broad view of change, and think about the impact of changes over one, three, and five years.
• Continue all of the behaviors and processes discussed in the articles below until change has the “opportunity to become anchored in the culture.” I am reminded of Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s emphasis on “constancy of purpose.”
• Set up changes so that people in your organization experience some early wins.
• Recognize that effective change is usually a realignment of the “world view,” rather than a program or flavor of the month.
• People involved in change will need to recognize that change is risky; change can be scary; change can often entail the real desire and need to slip back into the comfort zone.
• Effective change requires constant vigilance to resist slipping back into the old, comfortable ways of doing business.
• Finally, as much as employees need to celebrate new beginnings, you will need to provide opportunities for employees to mourn the past, to let go of familiar ways of doing work. Even as change is, hopefully, a gain for your organization, it is also always a loss.

People lose coworkers, comfortable work processes, known ways of doing things, communication networks, security and stability, or confidence in their own capability. Recognize their loss, and you will assist people to move more quickly with you into the brave new world.

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About the Author

Nor Franco is the Managing Director and Virtual CEO of nextManager.net. He's a former corporate executive whose passion is bringing out the full potential of HR in Businesses. This time that passion is pursued through Virtual Management. He writes and blogs about his management views and insights here. Follow him on Twitter.