How do you manage change and transformation to become more competitive?
What steps can you take (or have you taken) to optimize the current turbulence in the economy and workforce? What advice would you give everyone else regarding this turbulence?
Are the steps for middle and junior management different than the steps for senior c-level management? How so?
Good Answers (1)
Octavio B
Partner and COO at Talaentia ★ Corporate Strategist
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Greg,
Considering then that any given organization is a social structure where behaviours such as protecting personal power quotas, the fact of working as a professional with an attitude adverse to risk within of a well-known comfort zone, or managing with emphasis to operational efficiency with no enough strategic alignment may become in formidable obstacles against any effort of implantation that should be objectively identified and quickly addressed whether we want to reduce resistance against change and thereby, make sure that the envisioned process of change will be successful and susceptible of being inserted as part of the culture from a long term perspective.
Based on my professional experience in managing implementations of SAP, Knowledge applications and implantation of standards, I have identified that the following steps should be followed to ensure that an implementation with the potential of impacting the organizational will succeed with minimum trauma and fuss:
1. Identify and communicate the need, convenience and relevance of implementing a new operational framework, an updated quality standard or a system for the enterprise, to gain competitiveness, improve operational efficiency and/or reinforce customer satisfaction.
2. Make sure that CEO and Senior Managers are fully committed and are accountable during the project life cycle, and have the willingness of assuming the role of being enthusiastic supporters and executive sponsors to ensure the successful implementation of a new methodology, an updated operational framework, or a quality standard.
3. Communicate systematically the progress during the phase of implementation by using a simple language to minimize uncertainty and don´t hesitate in making an opportune reference to quick wins that are being achieved during project execution to reinforce employee´s morale, motivation and commitment.
4. Take advantage from the commitment of the owner of the business process to integrate a team with experienced proactive professionals who might assume the role of change agents in helping to the progressive diffusion and acceptance within the whole organization of a new framework, methodology or standard.
5. As a mean of maintaining a climate propitious to achieve goals and thereby maintain a higher morale in the team players, is advisable reinforce with an innovative system of incentives and celebrate with the team, the landmarks and goals that are being achieved progressively during project execution.
6. If we have the suspicion that the project of implementation will have a profound transformational impact within the organization is advisable hire expert consultancy in change management and apply managerial coaching whenever it would be necessary to reinforce managerial commitment and achieve the meaningful learning that is imperative to ensure the success of this project.
A Chief Management Officer, is a role increasingly supported and encouraged in managing the transformational processes of change with the potential of having profound repercussions on the culture, organizational structure, business processes and employee´s morale.
Being so, a CMO should have a great visibility into the organization, be empowered by CEO to lead processes of change and enjoy from enough influence on both the CEO and the Board of Directors to take business decisions relevant to ensure that the processes of transformational change will be seamlessly inserted into the organizational culture with minimum risk, impact and disturbance.
Such a role should work in tandem with Human Resources to minimize the repercussions of the change process on the organizational climate; make team working with CFO to ascertain from a risk management perspective the financial issues relevant to transformational projects; work coordinately with Public Relation representatives to articulate an effective communicational plan.
Octavio
Links:
- http://www.linkedin.com/answers/management/organizational-development/MGM_O...
- http://www.linkedin.com/answers/management/organizational-development/MGM_O...
- http://www.linkedin.com/answers/management/change-management/MGM_CMG/367768...
Clarification added 1 month ago:
Relevant to Change Management, I am including links to 3 questions, I have posted time ago in Linkedin Answers:
1. How to get rid of the disturbing influence from Sacred Cows during processes of Organizational Change?
2. What are the biggest mistakes in managing change?
3. Why most of the companies tend to avoid change in a recessive economy?
More Answers (12)
Darrell Z. D
High Performance Resume Writer at RighteousResumes.com ~ Invites always welcomed
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Hi Greg, 8)
Great questions! First of all you have to know we are all powerful spiritual beings having a human experience for educational purposes. Imagine your spirit is like water in a river totally flexible, adaptable and changable. If an blockage occurs we either go around, under or over it which ever is the path of least resistance.
In general it is best to always be learning, developing new marketable skills and evolving professionally. When your employers or potential employers see valuable dual skill areas and fluency in another language that is in demand, you are more likely to avoid a layoff.
The steps are the same for different management levels, except in the fact that senior management has a much higher salary/compensation package so corporations are saving more by laying off the brains of the operation. This calls for a greater urgency in increasing your job security and contributions to the company b adding value to you. First you will be more indispensible and second you will be more marketable/desirable in the job market which has intense competition right now. Finally, have a contingency plan in place prepare a great resume and cover letters in advance and always be networking.
In fact if you can build your network, help others freely and maintain your network, then in your own time of need your connections will be their to support you. Always be planting those seeds of success. 8)
Attention job hunters, read my free info articles designed to help you get hire quick. "Top Ten Ways LinkedIn Can Help You Get Hired" and "Proof Writing Your Own Resume Can Cost You $3000" My links are below.
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I think it is all about leadership. Asking the team for input. Reacting to it properly. The companies that are best at this seem to have all the employees engaged in the process of change and competitiveness. This is more art than science, and requires a certain personality to pull it off. There are some canned approaches out there or "methodologies", but ultimately it is about engaging the hearts and minds of the workforce.
Jim
Jeff SKI K
CTO at RhinoGATOR
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Greg
Consider the size of the organization. And one's position relative to the chain of command. Finally, consider the industry. Then and only then, could this question be answered.
For the early stage company trying to get to that first $10MM in gross Revenue for the first full year of operations, consider this response:
You must carve out a niche that positions your organization as the 800 lbs. gorilla in your market segment. Change is nothing more than one's vantage point. For example, look in your business checking account. Not a pleasant experience? Then change comes easy. Okay, perhaps not easy, but a window of opportunity has appeared. Until leadership knows what the present is suppose to look like at the bank (based on the actions of yesterday), it cannot plan for tomorrow.
Once you know what tomorrow looks like, you dissect today. Analyze the mismatches, and apply a proven system that has the power to deliver the change required to build tomorrow from the raw materials of today.
Turbulence? The window of opportunity is never so large as when others are losing their heads.
-ski
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SAUMITRA Y
Executive (Logistics) at Gujarat Guardian Ltd . Having background of Sales & Marketing.
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Change is one certain fact of life, it will be there always. As changes are a normal feature of life, mankind has also developed adaptability towards change. I would say not every human being is adaptable to change. History tells us that there were several species who used to wander on this mother earth but they got extinguished from the globe due to non adaptable behavior towards change.
It is always better to accept change. See positive in change. Change for new ideas, change for new technologies, change for better environment. Before making a change, have a careful observation of new changing scenario. Understand the complexities of the change. How far change is going to effect you. What are plus & what are minuses. Just do not jump into the bandwagon.
As far as the senior management are concerned they are the originator for the changes which is going to take place. It is they on whom shoulder the responsibility for the success of changes lies. What are the methodology which should be adapted , what would be the changes in the responsibilities of middle & lower level of employees, how to install confidence amongst the effected employees whose responsibility has been changed, these are the questions senior management should answer first before making any changes.
Alan C
Group Managing Director of PML
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keeping it simple, here is a change management process mapped out
This is more a donation than an answer, but it may be of use to you as it seems to be an underlying part of your question
http://www.demoprocessmaster.com/HTML/Output/ITIL%20Change%20Management%20Process/ITIL%20Change%20Management%20Process.html
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Janaki G
HR Professional
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First Change our mindset and know that everything is uncertain and then accordingly educate and create awareness among the middle and junior management staff also about the current scenario.
Change is a natural constant. It is always present in life; be it a person or a business. In nature, what is static is dead.
Change is not something a business should be engaging in only during times of turbulence but it should be every day. When turbulence comes about it may be too late.
Therefore, the question you ask should be seen in its most positive light: the degree of rigidity of the business. There are some businesses that are rigid like machines; employees can be switched around indifferently because it is the machine that dictates what they do. These companies are toxic for everyone. Just look at the suicides at France Telecom and before then at Renault. Other companies focus on the individual and flourish. In the post-industrial west, we see companies like Google who put the individual first and become even more powerful in times of "turbulence".
Regardless of the type of business you have it must remain agile and adaptable, and that comes from having the right people on board. It has nothing to do with their place in the hierarchy because everyone is heading in the same direction.
Charles N
Managing Partner at Newman Business Associates
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Are you familiar with the old adage that there are only two things in life of which you can be certain "death and taxes?" Well, the reality is that there is a third factor, and that factor is "change." In fact the only constant in life is "change."
To deal with "change" takes an effective plan that is based on a vision of the future and on what success should look like. In other words you have to first determine "what you want to be when you grow up", define the challenges (internal and external) that have to be addressed to get you there,establish priorities to address each of the challenges, and finally, develop action plans that enable you to accomplish the priorities.
By having reviews on a regularly scheduled basis, you are able to adjust to changing conditions and revisit the challenges in the new landscape.
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Erica F
Social Media Optimizer, Publisher at ALC Publishing, President of Yuricon
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I have defined my own niche and am doing everything in my power to make it mine. Through speaking, writing, connecting, I am the one who defines my own path. This way if I fail, I'll have at least done what I wanted to do the way I wanted to do it. Why not? There's nothing to lose.
Cheers,
Erica Friedman
Yurikon LLC
Social Media Without Delusion
http://socialoptimized.blogspot.com
http://www.visualcv.com/elfriedman
Rob D
Innovation Catalyst. Director of innovation & commercialization group. Keynote speaker, author, consultant.
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Hi Greg,
I think the greatest multiplier to be gained is by democratizing change through social media. After setting the tone and general content of the change messages, senior management can step aside and let staff harness their own social networks to spread the word. I would rather have 1,000 staffers spreading the word in their own, sometimes wacky and ingenious ways than have to rely on the old "megaphone" style of communication from the top. Distributed ownership of transformation is the way to go! Cheers.. Rob
Merydith W
Sex in the Boardroom (book) Developing next generation leaders: New York & Adelaide
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The key to success in this area is ongoing excellent communication. Whether we’re in a GFC or not, change is happening all the time in workplaces and needs to be managed. Most of us hate change and some will do everything they can to prevent it.
It is not something that I could answer easily in a LI question because every business needs to have a plan specifically for their group.
Books
Sex in the Boardroom (leadership development)
If it's to be: It's up to me
Third book on the way
Allan E D
Leader, Consultant & Volunteer
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Regarding you last question, YES the steps are different for senior c-level management than for middle and junior management because their roles are significantly different:
1. Senior executives / c-level management roles - they focus on considering competitive strategy changes (if any). Their questions surround choosing WHAT a company will do or not do and WHY.
"Doing the right things"... What are the right things to do? Why? Why not? Where are the growth opportunities? Does it make sense for us and our capabilities, business model, cost structure to participate? Should we / can we change? What's our value proposition?
2. Middle and junior management roles - they focus on doing things right repeatedly, consistently with quality and EFFICIENCY given the top level strategy and value proposition devised by senior management.
"Doing things right"... methods... HOW, WHEN, WHERE, and WHO.
Middle managers produce business input measures that are tracked and analyzed by senior executives.
Inputs business measures include: Strategy, Operations and Marketing metrics.
Output business measures include: Accounting, Customer Satisfaction and Employee Satisfaction.
In a service organization especially (and we live in a service economy here in the USA) if the internal customer (employee) is not happy then the end-customer is rarely satisfied.
At the top senior management needs to be willing to ignore sunk costs (emotionally) and take a purely economic view of the business' viability and competitiveness and select the best opportinities to improve competitiveness (cost reduction to increase contribution margins, and yes of course top line growth - which is hard to find in a flat or shrinking economy).
In the middle, learn to embrace change and thrive on it. Be flexible, be cooperative, communicate and be agile. Along the way learn as much as you can everywhere you go - especially things you can document and take with you without so and so vouching for you (degrees, certifications, training).
Always challenge yourself to acquire new skills, learn a new language and generally make yourself influential and indispensable. Produce results, keep track of your contributions, help others/network, listen listen listen and never say or do anything in your career or workplace when you are emotionally charged or frustrated that you may regret later.
If you're a parent, a creative type, entrepreneurial, or young enough to set a new course in your career, or if you must because the old equations don't produce the same old results any more - then I strongly recommend that you read only 1 book: A Whole New Mind - by Thomas Pink.
Links:
Clarification added 1 month ago:
Typo correction / Under item#2 I meant to write: "Middle managers produce business OUTPUT measures..."
