STEP FOUR

Build a Vision for Change

Vision without action is a dream. 
Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with vision is making a positive difference.

—Joel Barker

Individuals involved in a change initiative need to know why things are changing and, more importantly, what it means for them. Having a vision for change tells people where the organization is going and how they fit into it. Providing a purpose and vision of the future as a result of a change gives individuals a sense of community and belonging. It helps them feel as though their efforts are part of creating something that will make a difference.

In his 2001 book, Good to Great, Jim Collins looks at how good companies become great companies. Over a five-year period, his team studied 1,435 companies and found only 11 that met the criteria of moving from good to great: changing their practices to make a difference. In these cases, a vision for change led individuals to take initiative and to take the necessary steps to stand out. The companies that chose to change, and had the discipline to make the needed changes, became great. The ability of these organizations’ leaders to simplify the complex world in which they operated into a single organizing principle unified, organized, and acted as a guide for all decisions the organizations had to make. Envisioning what change could bring inspired people to make a difference. Collins thus points to three elements that help drive an organization’s vision for change: (1) an organization’s reason for existing, its purpose or mission, which gives its members something to identify with; (2) a set of core values, which provides members with expectations for fulfilling responsibilities and guidelines for behavior; and (3) a set of goals, or, as Collins refers to them, “Big Hairy Audacious Goals” (p. 202). A change vision helps individuals understand where the organization is going and why.

A change vision comes about as a result of an organization looking for changes in its external environment and its internal capabilities (see Figure 4.1). Internally, the organization considers the strengths and weaknesses of its function, people, and process. It takes into consideration its ability to change and innovate. Externally, it looks at changing customer needs, changes in technology, and competitive positioning, considering possible opportunities and potential threats. A change vision differs from an organizational vision in that the latter is the organization’s overriding vision for what it can be and what it stands for. An organization can have multiple change visions. The point is that each relates to the specific change initiative and what that initiative can do for the organization.

Why is a Change Vision Important?

A vision for change is important because it gives an organization a sense of how it deals with surrounding changes. The reality is that organizations rarely stay the same. They either grow or die, acquire or become acquired, create and innovate or become obliterated. It is plain and simple, as history shows. Look at any 10-year period of the Fortune 500. How many currently listed companies were not there 10 years ago, how many previously listed companies have been acquired by others, and how many have fallen off the list altogether? Film worked well when you needed it for a camera, but technology changed while Kodak did not—and the company eventually declared bankruptcy in 2010. Do you remember RCA (Radio Corporation of America), once a Fortune 25 company known for its televisions, radios, and record players? The business model changed. Foreign competitors, first from Japan and now from Korea and China, have found better, faster, and cheaper ways to deliver these types of products. Speaking of record players, have you ever even seen one? Changes can make a product or service obsolete to the point where the only place you will find one is in a museum. Look at this from a growth and innovation perspective. There is Apple Computer, or is it Apple, the largest seller of music online? How about companies that have combined areas of change such as technology, global reach, and consumer tastes to create companies like Google and Facebook—and, yes, Facebook is a company with a vision. Organizations succeed because they have a vision for change and turn that vision into a reality. Having a vision for change is the start of making change happen.

Creating a Vision for Change

Taking a proactive approach to change (see Step 1) centers not only on creating a change vision, but also on communicating that vision to employees before, during, and after the change. Keep in mind these three stages—prechange, change, and postchange— when creating your vision for change.

Prechange

Before the actual work of change begins, an organization must establish the change vision. Why is the organization making a change, and what does it hope to accomplish by changing? Use this vision when meeting with the project sponsor and other stakeholders to get feedback on what is proposed. It may need to be adjusted based on the feedback you get as you go. Getting buy-in along the way helps ensure agreement later and can also inspire the various stakeholders to become active and supportive change participants. A vision for change should consider a number of factors:

• the purpose for change and goals of the organization
• measures of progress and expectations for success; indications that the organization has realized the change vision
• how the organization will operate after the change
• how the culture supports or needs to adjust to support the changed organization
• the project time frame, if applicable
• the values of the organization
• any roadblocks that could get in the way of achieving the change.

Change

During the change process, it is important to ensure that the change team is up and running as planned—that is, operating according to the change vision. The change manager must address any issues as soon as possible. Given the visibility typical of change projects, being up-front about issues is key for both team members and the change manager. Up-front communication also helps to identify individuals’ true levels of commitment, as well as to make sure committed resources are available and work is going according to the vision (see Step 7 for how to communicate effectively).

When building a change vision, the change manager needs to keep in mind those individuals the change will affect and what it means to them.

Depending on the size and nature of the impending change, your organization may want to inform outside individuals about the vision for change. Some of these external people might include the following:

• Customers—A vision tells them that your organization is changing and describes the change process and the path to accomplishment.
• Business partners—A vision lets them know the unique way your organization operates and that they can count on you to continue to provide products and services throughout the change process.
• Members of your organization—A vision establishes new standards and sets the tone for expectations in terms of behavior.
• Other stakeholders as identified—A vision identifies your organization’s commitment and how making changes will help you accomplish your goals.

Individuals need support in their attempts to attain the organization’s vision for change. 

Postchange

Following implementation of the change, it is a good idea to revisit the change vision and determine the degree of achievement. Is the change achieved the “new normal” or just a step in an ongoing change process? If the latter, the change manager might choose to further individuals’ alignment with and commitment to the change vision by publicizing individual and group achievement through the recognized communication channels and modeling leadership behavior.

Either way, the change manager must answer any questions and resolve any outstanding issues, making sure everyone is on the same page as to the new way of operating. Moving forward, the change manager can keep the vision alive in actions and behaviors by documenting and sharing lessons learned and determining how past change processes can help support future change initiatives.

Additional Factors Affecting  the Change Vision

Organizations spend a lot of time and energy creating mission and vision statements. The purpose of these statements is to act as concise and direct messages to let everyone, internal and external, know why the organization exists and what it is trying to accomplish. Values create the culture of an organization and determine how it functions on a day-to-day basis. They address the expected behaviors of individuals and the consequent reward or punishment.

Confusion often erupts between an organization’s vision, mission, and values and their impact on changes the organization attempts. A vision for change is meant to be transformational and give a picture of the changed organization. It looks at the ideal and what the organization strives to accomplish and be known for.

In embarking on a change process, the vision for change should act as the guiding light for the organization’s members, or as a way for individuals to identify with its purpose and be motivated to accomplish goals and put in their best effort to help achieve the desired change. In decision making or dealing with difficult situations, the vision for change stands out and serves as a guide. It is future oriented, looking at what can be. The intended change could be as direct as an annual increase in profits, but the inspiration is not the same.

Different from a vision for change is an organization’s mission. A mission statement describes what an organization does and how it tries to accomplish things on a day-to-day basis. It tells the world what products and services the organization has to offer. In building a mission statement, an organization should look at its culture, the way individuals work with each other, and the processes involved in accomplishing goals. A mission statement should consider what the organization does from a products and services perspective: how the products are manufactured (for example, all recycled materials, safe to the environment, or made in the United States) or, if providing services, what guidelines the organization follows (for example, all calls returned within 24 hours, satisfaction guaranteed, establishing a level of ongoing support). The mission should analyze customers and potential customers and what is important to them (for example, price, quality, innovation). Laws, rules, and regulations can also impact how a mission is accomplished. Future direction, if the organization seeks to grow or develop in certain product or market areas, should also be considered. Finally, answering the question “What about this organization sets it apart from others?” should be incorporated.

Values represent an organization’s culture. They set standards as far as acceptable behaviors and provide guidelines for dealing with individuals both inside and outside the organization. Values should be based on how the organization works with its customers, treats its employees, or cares for its stakeholders. Organizations usually come up with a list of (three to seven) core values for their members to live by. These values guide members’ choices and actions.

For example, the U.S. Air Force follows “Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do” as its three core values. “Integrity First” sets the standard for how individuals operate with each other and the public they serve. All members receive regular reminders that being part of the organization means providing a service for others, or “Service Before Self.” “Excellence in All We Do” sets the standard for all actions by the organization. All decisions and interactions are based on these core values. Note that when an individual or a group of individuals disregards the organization’s basic values, the cultural standards often decline, and the focus becomes more on what individuals can get away with rather than what standards they need to live up to. Today’s proactive organizations focus more on doing the right things in the right way than on the “just do it” model many lived by in the past. Some also consider their values a moral compass when ethical decisions come into play. Values can help drive a vision for change since they are the basis for the organization’s existence.

A strategic plan provides the specific details on goals and the day to day activities required to accomplish them. It looks to the vision as the overall guide for long-term accomplishment (for example, over three to five years). It looks to the mission for day-to-day operations, letting individuals know their responsibilities and providing a time line for getting things done. It looks to the values when considering how to get things done. Intent, capability, and resources help formulate the strategic plan. When an organization contemplates change, a vision to help focus individuals comes into play. It sets the direction and may eventually lead to a change in the organization’s mission, vision, and, in some cases, values.

Describing an organization’s culture often requires descriptive terms such as collaborative, strong, creative, and respectful, but these terms don’t give us much to work with. I remember working with a consulting firm on a change initiative, and one representative reminded me that his firm had a “strong culture.” When I asked what that meant, the individual indicated that everyone believed strongly in and lived closely by the founding principles of the organization. My next question was whether he thought that belief would ease or complicate the change effort—to which I don’t think I ever received an answer. Whether the culture is strong or weak is not the determining factor. What makes a difference is realizing and cooperating with the culture. A good place to start with organizational and cultural change is to obtain support and leadership from individuals who are respected and looked to for guidance within the organization. Having a vision for change keeps individuals focused on their goals and anticipated accomplishments.

On certain occasions, an organization’s strong culture presents an issue. C.K. Prahalad (2010) coined the term forgetting curve to identify behaviors, practices, and beliefs that are no longer productive and in some cases counterproductive. Sometimes, when it comes to making change happen, accelerating the forgetting curve can be more important to organizations than accelerating the learning curve.

Key Points to Keep in Mind

A vision sets the course, and getting individuals to understand it will determine the level of buy-in you get from them. To accomplish this, it’s important to do the following: 

• Identify areas that can impact the change and incorporate them into building the vision for change.
• Keep the change vision simple so others can understand it.
• Don’t assume individuals will automatically buy in; it takes communication to get commitment.
• Common values and interests help get buy-in.
• Get input from those who will be impacted and provide a way for individuals to give feedback.
• Address issues head on.

WORKSHEET 4.1

Building a Change Vision