This week I met a woman who calls herself a Business Therapist. Her goal is to help people understand that when change happens in an organization, it takes time and patience to get the whole organization to embrace and move with the change.
I agree.
I once heard that changing organizational culture is like turning a freighter in the middle of the ocean. It needs a lot of time and space.
Too often, change is expected to happen quickly and disaster follows, with everyone blaming each other.
A couple of things to discuss when your organization is undergoing change:
- How much time you are able to invest in the process
- Now double that time
- Look at what change expects of your people on every level
- How will every department have to change in order for change to be complete and successful?
- Each division will need a thorough analysis of time and resources they will need to invest once they have understood the impact and implications of change
- How will change impact sales and customers?
- Strategies to deal with change have to be discussed with everyone who will be impacted, right to the shop floor
- Once you have agreement on every level you are ready to proceed with formulating a strategy
- The strategy has to be implemented company-wide with support from the very top visibly active
Shortcuts and rapid change have a track record of failure; take your time to plan carefully.
I help leaders have fruitful, open discussions when topics are tough.
Click here to contact me for a free consultation about your business and change.