People Are Not the Problem: Eight Tips to Effectively Manage Change

Despite the amount of time and money that’s been invested in educating organizations and training leaders in the tools and skills to manage change, results have been uneven at best.  OnPoint Consulting’s annual Execution Gap Survey of 935 leaders found that although the ability to manage change is a key predictor of an organization’s ability to engage employees and effectively execute its strategy, 41% of leaders surveyed believe their organizations do not have a good track record when it comes to managing change.  And, 42% report that senior leaders in their companies do not manage change effectively.

Conventional wisdom points to three reasons why leaders find change is difficult to manage: employees don’t recognize the necessity of change; employees generally fear change and prefer the status quo; and change happens too quickly to be easily accommodated by employees.  However, a previous OnPoint survey on change debunks all three widely accepted beliefs.  It revealed that: 

▪          85% of respondents believe that their organizations must continue to change to grow and win in their respective industries

▪          75% report that they are comfortable with change and 83% believe a person can overcome his or her fears and get on board with a change

▪          41% believe that the pace of change in their organizations is “just right.” 

In other words, the poor track record many organizations have in managing change cannot be attributed to inflexible employees who prefer to maintain the status quo or who don’t believe change is necessary for the continued growth and success of their organizations.  Nor can the difficulties be attributed to the pace of change.

So, what should leaders be doing to ensure change is effectively managed?  OnPoint’s study found eight things effective leaders and organizations do better and more consistently than organizations that struggle with change:

1. Make sure leaders at all levels are involved and aligned right from the start. Don’t just focus on senior leaders.
2. Hold everyone accountable for behaviors that support the change. Don’t allow managers to revert to “old” behaviors or follow a set of “rules” that only apply to them.
3. Continue frequent and honest communication for the duration of the change. Don’t assume that once people are on board they will not reevaluate their commitment periodically.
4. Continue to celebrate successes and communicate the benefits of a change. Don’t take momentum for granted and assume people will maintain high levels of morale and performance over time.
5. Be realistic about what can be accomplished in the time available; set realistic goals and milestones. Don’t overpromise and don’t over commit your resources.
6. Frequently revisit and revise the plan. Don’t put the plan on “automatic pilot”
7. Look for obstacles that may become apparent during implementation. Don’t assume all obstacles and appropriate actions have been identified during the planning stage.
8. Maintain focus on change objectives and expected outcomes. Don’t let “squeaky wheels” or “new” challenges distract your attention or decrease your commitment.

Most leaders would agree that change is ubiquitous and the need to effectively manage change is required if we want to achieve results.  However, another change management process or program is probably not the solution unless leaders also focus on these eight best practices.