Companies are tested most severely during times of change, particularly change that is imposed from outside, but also during times of change that are self-imposed. Peter Senge, one of the gurus on change is fond of saying, “People don’t resist change, they resist being changed.” In other words, people will adapt to change if they have some control over that change but will resist change when it is imposed from outside or from another level on the organization.
Ken Blanchard of One Minute Manager fame says, there are seven truths about change that we need to understand.
1. Change makes us feel awkward, ill-at-ease, self-conscious, ... expect it.
2. Change makes us think first about what we might lose or have to give up, allow people time to mourn.
3. Change makes us feel alone, even when everyone else is going through it, therefore we need to encourage people to talk to one another about the change.
4. We can only handle so much change at one time so don’t over do it.
5. We are all at different readiness levels for change and we need to accept those differences.
6. Change makes us feel we do not have enough resources to cope so we need to encourage creative searches for new ways to respond, and
7. When the pressure to change is off, we quickly revert back to old behaviours, so if the change is important, we can’t back off.
Indicators
Indicators that your company may not be handling change as well as it could include..
Recent, significant change in the employee turnover rate
- Recent significant increase in complaints, grievances, strikes, lockouts, etc.
- Resistance to make needed change by top management based on previous negative experiences
- Increased use of sick leave.
- Increase in lateness or absenteeism
- Failure to respond to significant opportunities or threats brought about by changes in the marketplace, by the introduction of new technologies, by new competitors, by economic shifts, by demographic shifts, or whatever..
ASSESSMENT TOOL
‘Give us your feedback in Change Management’: a questionnaire for current staff about their satisfaction with how your workplace manages change
This questionnaire is another variation on the more generic questionnaire introduced on the 'stay' page. This questionnaire zeroes in on change issues and digs deeper into how your company manages people during times of significant change. It can be given to all employees to complete using paper and pencil. To take a look at a version of this questionnaire in Adobe click here. This version can also be used as an interview guide.
ON-LINE VERSION You can also have your employees complete this questionnaire on-line. To see what the on-line questionnaire looks like, click on this link. To make arrangements to use the on-line version, e-mail Al Holmes at Sequus.
Additional tools for assessing specific issues…
1.STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
The purpose of regular, structured, strategic thinking about the organization in its environment is to anticipate change and respond to it. Look for evidence that this is happening. If it isn’t, encourage it. If it is, look at the way it is carried out. Some strategic planning isn’t really strategic at all but simply operational planning and consists largely of the same people looking at the same issues in the same way. Look for evidence of divergence of opinion, long-range thinking, broad range thinking.
2.FRONTLINE MANAGEMENT
The difference between leading and managing is an important distinction to make when looking at change. The term “leadership” is associated with change and the term “management” is associated with stability. Not everyone in a leadership position can lead, and not everyone in a management position can manage. The work of John Kotter on change has taught us all a great deal about the influence of the behaviours of persons at the top on change effectiveness. The table below helps make the distinction between the two. It is important to know that neither set of behaviours is preferred absolutely, rather, if change is needed competent leadership is required, if stability is needed, competent management is required. To check out your preferred pattern you can use the Sequus LMAQ-SELF, LMAQ-OTHER along with the Interpretation guide.
3.WORKPLACE CULTURE
Sometimes change is prevented by the inertia of a culture that has stabilized around a once successful strategy. Breaking long established patterns of behaviour is hard. In extreme cases only a major, survival-threatening crisis (real or manufactured) can initiate major change. Small companies ought to be more nimble than large ones but it is not always the case.
4.WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Work-life balance can be threatened by major change. Air Canada’s recent turmoil has thrown thousands of once comfortable (some would argue too comfortable) lives into turmoil. Look for signs of distress including increased absenteeism.
5.COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
During times of change it is natural to think first of loss rather than gain. And when lower level needs are threatened, they start to dominate our thinking and action. “A Workplace of Choice” works hard to ensure job security and income security during times of change, others see people as a cost rather than an asset and may be tempted to reduce costs by shedding people from the payroll.
6.JOB/WORK DESIGN & STRUCTURE
Working in groups or teams can offer stability and comfort during times of change. Teams can both help people to get through the sense of loss but also to find ways to turn losses into gains, threats into opportunities. Look at the work design. Does it promote interdependence or isolation?
7.LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
As organizations grow and develop it is usually an exciting period of learning for everyone. Once the organization matures, the benefits of that learning are gained as the organization solidifies around what works. When “what works” no longer works it is time to unlearn and then learn a new way to succeed. It is easier to start from scratch than it is to turn an organization around because of the unlearning that must occur. But just knowing that unlearning must precede new learning is sometimes enough to get something started.
8.WORKPLACE DIVERSITY
A workplace that sees diversity as an advantage is better able to cope with change than one that does not.
