May
21
Managing change in an organization takes more than managing a process. Fail to understand that and you put the organization directly in harms way.
If you are a manger you will have noticed that most productive work in the organization is done by around 20% of your people. Sixty percent of employees may show up for work but their hearts and minds are elsewhere. Another 18% actually perform in a way that is counter-productive.
So is it any wonder that most people resist change? They literally can’t be bothered or actually feel threatened by any change in the organization. Most people identify elevated stress and anxiety during and after change implementation. Staff that suffer from pre-existing elevated stress levels can become destructive in an organization faced with significant culture or process change. If you don’t deal with that when you try to begin a procedural or culture change program you will throw money down the toilet and risk your entire business.
No matter what business you have it is dependent on people. They are your greatest asset, and your greatest liability. You MUST understand what makes them tick and how they can be influenced into providing productive “engaged” input to earn their money each week.
The latest careful research has provided us with way to ensure that (and I hesitate to use this hackneyed term) everyone is “on the same page”. We now understand why people behave and react the way they do to resist change. And we now know exactly what to do to ensure the entire organization is working together to implement your change program.
The methods need to be implemented by external specialist consultants who are seen to be independent, and seen to maintain the individual’s confidentiality in discussions on their motivations, values and belief systems, and their view of management authority. By being independent, staff open up to a greater degree, especially when it is viewed the company or organization is doing something positive for them as individuals. A good stress management consultant defines and fixed sources of stress and ensures the values system of individuals and groups are aligned to that of the company or organization.
The consultant works with the on-staff management team to ensure a smooth operation.By reviewing the staff, primarily in groups for the 60% who are “non-engaged”, and individually for the “actively-disengaged”, the specialist consultants can adjust perceptions of management and the organization to provide motivation to comply with and support the change program.
This process dramatically reduces the risk of implementing a change program of any type with organizations and can actually enhance productivity and profits.
Gary Johnston is a psychotherapist and consultant with extensive clinical and corporate experience in Stress and Change Management. He is a member of the Australian Association of Clinical Hypnotherapyand Psychotherapy and the Council of Clinical Hypnotherapists.He lectures in change and stress management and runs regular and custom designed courses.His team works within organizations to assist Change and Project Managers to limit program risks and enhance productivity.
For more information on Change Management see www.gmfchange.com
For more information on Stress Management see www.gmfint.com
May 21, 2008
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