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3 Options for Managing Change
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kubica writes "We've all heard it before - "if it we haven't thought of it then it isn't worth doing." "No one knows our business better than we do." This attitude is referred to as the "not invented here" syndrome. Consultants have seen it for years. Department managers and employees use it to fend off outside influence from other departments or intervention from consultants or advisors. Regardless of where the invasion is coming from, protectionism is the defense.
"Not invented here" is a cliché. But like many clichés or popular beliefs, we tend to think there is truth in the statement. However, "not invented here", is a problem and it serves as a form of organizational resistance to change. "Not invented here" conveys an important message - "if I am not involved with defining the situation and working on solutions, then I am not interested in your ideas, opinions or solutions."
When an organization is facing a challenge, it has 3 options:
1. Do nothing
2. Understand the challenge and create solutions
3. Hire outside help to assess and facilitate the solutions.
Assuming that the challenge is real and that it presents a threat to the organization...
. Option One will lead to a further deterioration in organizational performance.
. Option Two will work if the members of the organization possess the skills, knowledge, objectivity and support to identify and implement the required change.
. Option Three will work if it is combined with Option Two.
Using outside resources can be important for an organization, especially if the business leader believes that an objective third party may have broader experience in identifying potential solutions. The danger, however, is to engage a third party who has a one-size-fits-all solution. And it is this attitude that reinforces and solidifies the "not invented here" syndrome. In fact, run quickly from anyone that has a solution to your problem before they fully understand it.
When your organization is faced with a challenge, here are 7 steps you should take.
1. Understand the Problem - Do this before anything else is done. Take the proper amount of time to talk with and listen to people (inside and outside the organization). Look at the numbers and compare it with the general marketplace, the economic trends and the trends in your industry. Objectively understand the issues. If this step is missed, a good solution will only occur by pure chance.
2. Identify Options - Whether it is in a brainstorming session, a general discussion in a series of meetings or in any other organized forum, it is important to identify potential solutions. At this stage it is important to identify solution options and not just one solution. Many people stop at the first or easiest solution.
3. Select an Option - To select the best solution as determined by the group and the evidence there should be healthy discussion or even a vibrant debate. The risks and gains of each option should be vetted before an option is selected. It is at this point when the influence of the owner, unit head or outside third party should be tempered. One person's influence, especially a person in authority or an outside consultant, will solidify the "not invented here" behavior and the chance of implementation success decreases.
4. Understand What It Will Take to Implement - You need to know what it will take in time, money, personnel and other resources to implement. When a solution is chosen, detailed planning must occur so everyone involved in the implementation fully understands the investment and commitment required for a successful outcome.
5. Prepare an Action Plan - Your plan should describe...
. What will be done (the task)
. Who will do it / who is responsible
. When it will get done
. Important milestones or benchmarks
. Resources required/anticipated
Remember, in most cases, whoever has assigned responsibilities for this project also has another job to do, as few organizations today can afford to put a dedicated team on a project. This is why an Action Plan with tasks, due dates and individual accountability is important.
6. Implementation - This needs to be managed and managed well. Regular status meetings must be held to track implementation progress. If the project is getting off track, awareness should swift and corrective action should be taken immediately.
7. Evaluation / Post Implementation Follow-up - After implementation, the working group should evaluate lessons learned. That is, what went well, what could have gone better, what was learned in the process, and did the change initiative have the intended impact (desired result) on the organization.
If these steps are followed, the chance of successfully implementing a change effort will increase. It will increase because the members of the organization most effected by the change initiative will have been involved with the problem and solution identification. This is a powerful engagement and retention strategy. It's your business. It's your future. Take hold of it and "invent it here".
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Leadership and Strategy
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How to Become a Winning Sales ACE And avoid getting shot down!
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waldman writes "If you want to test the true character of a person, see how they respond to adversity. Watch how they handle the pressure of a lost sale, an angry client, or a difficult boss. What do they say? How do they act? What is their emotional state? Do they freeze up and get angry, or do they buckle down and increase their focus and commitment?
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Leadership and Strategy
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Who's In Charge of Your Meeting?
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harrison writes "Do any of these things happen at your meetings?
* People arrive late
* people leave early
* someone yells BINGO in mid-meeting
* People are unprepared
* A key person is absent
* Someone asks for a pencil or pen
* People mysteriously get paged midway through and leave in droves"
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Leadership and Strategy
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The Art Of Negotiating: In Today’s World, The Skilled Negotiator Has The Advanta
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liztahir writes "When we realize that virtually every aspect of our business and personal life requires negotiation, the benefit of being a better, more efficient negotiator is clear."
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Leadership and Strategy
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Orchestrating Your Leadership
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harrison writes "Recently I had the opportunity to lead an orchestra. It’s an experience I recommend to all. Admittedly, I had my doubts. With no formal training I wondered:"
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Leadership and Strategy
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Creating Partnerships: Is Consolidation The Right Choice For Your Business?
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brinker writes "In a highly fragmented and fiercely competitive toner supply market, a test of wills is underway. Will the small-to-mid-size suppliers resist market consolidation, or will they strategically choose to partner and push beyond their individual capabilities? "
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Leadership and Strategy
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susanf writes "Experts have become omnipresent. They're everywhere: on your favorite television show, on drive time radio programming, on blogs and internet discussion forums, between the pages of nationally popular magazines and your local newspaper. You can't throw a dart, it seems, without having it hit an Expert on the way to the dartboard."
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Leadership and Strategy
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Becoming a Peak Performer
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harrison writes "What do Olympians and Hall of Fame athletes all have in common? "Peak performers and high achievers have a bias to action." So says Bill Cole, MS, MA, known as America's Mental Game Coach. According to Cole, who coaches Davis Cup Tennis Players, Olympians and executive achievers: "high achievers can't wait to get started, they want to take action now, have a can-do attitude, and a 'good as done' vision of success that drives them.""
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Leadership and Strategy
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Best Leadership Advice: Business Success Secrets from 7 Top Leaders
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thornton writes "Fortune magazine once published an article entitled “The Best Advice I Ever Got.” It was a great article that offered wit and wisdom about achieving business success. I liked it so much, that it motivated me to produce my newest book, Leadership—Best Advice I Ever Got, which describes the best leadership advice 136 successful CEOs, coaches, consultants, professors, managers, executives, presidents, politicians, and religious leaders received that most helped them become effective and successful leaders.
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Leadership and Strategy
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Time Management Training: Organize Your Time With The Building Blocks of Product
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landers writes "What lessons you can learn from small children! One day I was watching two youngsters, ages 3 and 5, playing with “bricks” constructed out of heavy cardboard. The brick blocks came in three sizes: a 10” x 16” rectangle, a 10” square, and the standard 3” x 10” brick size. Over time they spent hours creating structures. At the beginning there was no understanding of larger pieces providing a stronger foundation for the smaller pieces and so things would come tumbling down without using all of the bricks. With lots of trial and error the children discovered that if they started with the biggest size, they were more likely to be able to use all of the bricks."
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Leadership and Strategy
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: Unit of 1 Article Archive : Amazon eStore
