Today, change initiatives are more important than ever to secure organisational survival. Yet when you talk to change managers, so many complain of the lack of senior level support for their projects.
Sure, their projects have been signed off and implementation is underway — yet why does the support seem to be evaporating? Do change managers need to change with the times?
The current economic environment is having an unprecedented impact on strategy. Many of the change initiatives that are currently underway were conceived in more stable times.
Massive change has occurred and now senior executives have to reassess their plans as they fight for survival.
The speed at which they reach their decisions and gain enough confidence to even start altering their plans is lamentably slow. A change initiative aimed to deliver 10 per cent cost reduction now has to achieve 30 per cent or more. They hesitate to disrupt progress on the 10 per cent, while realising that it will not be enough, but what to do for the best?
Change managers are feeling this hesitation more than most. Until senior execs unveil bigger plans, their support for what is currently happening is likely to diminish.
If you’re one of those change managers, here are some things you can do.
- Use your network to establish how your organisation is likely to fare in the current economic climate.
- Try to understand what needs to change at organisational level. Again, use your network of friends and contacts to stimulate your thinking.
- What impact could this have on your change project? Is it still relevant or ambitious enough? Could it be that your change is no longer viable?
- How about the political ramifications? Consider the position of the most powerful people in the organisation regarding your project.
- Do you need to recommend stopping your project in favour of something more relevant to the times?
- Develop your theory of how all this should affect your work.
- Engage with senior stakeholders in a realistic discussion about your theory.
- Seek their insight and greater knowledge with a problem solving approach.
- Attempt to gain consensus about the most appropriate way forward.
Without doubt, this will be an uncomfortable time for change managers. The answers to some of the questions posed above will potentially threaten your work and maybe your position.
Yet if you carry these out skilfully, you will grow in knowledge and insight. These are valuable traits that many organisations will work hard to retain and redirect to bigger and better change projects.
(Photo: Orangeacid, CC2.0)
