TRANSFORM

Creating a Shared Need – Why this is Important when Managing Change

When introducing any kind of change within an organisation it is critical to make sure that the people affected by the required change fully understand not only what change is required, but also the reasons for the change.

For change to become embedded and sustained it’s simply not enough to say: ‘You used to do this and now we want you to do that’.  You need to win hearts and minds and ensure those affected understand the part they play in making the change happen.

This is important because as humans we all have free will and therefore the ability to choose whether or not to comply with a set of requirements or instructions or not, and as change agents we have to recognise this as fact and plan as far as we possibly can to mitigate against people reverting back to old habits and behaviours.

Developing and delivery clear communications is part of managing change – and one size does not necessarily fit all.

It’s important to ensure that messages set out the rationale for change in a personalised way for the individual or groups you need to influence.  People need to understand the ‘what’s in it for me’ and the consequences for them for the choices they will ultimately make.

I was lucky enough to be working at GE when Jack Welch was still at the helm. It was a number of years ago now and I was attending a leadership meeting where he addressed his global senior management about the business strategy and the changes the company needed to deliver. The fact that I still remember his message to this day is testament to how good he was at getting his people to understand what was being asked of them.

He pulled no punches, and what he said was this (I summarise):

‘Make no mistake, change is coming. The train is in the station and it’s about to leave.’

This was a clear message to the laggards in the room. Everyone has a choice – to get on board or not – but those that chose not to would be left behind.

Talk to me about creating a shared need and effectively managing change by reaching out today. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.