INTRODUCTION

Successfully managing change will always be important. As the pace of change continues to increase, the skills needed to know how to change to be better, faster, and cheaper will increase in importance. Whether the change is based on new technological capability (just look at what the Internet has done), advances in healthcare and the quality of life, organizational changes (mergers and acquisitions, downsizing, outsourcing, off-shoring, start-up), or changes in geo political positions around the world, those that can adapt and be in front of the change curve will have the most success.

Managing, and in some cases, creating change offers opportunities and challenges. The key is to understand what is happening, minimize the risk that goes with it, and take advantage of the opportunities it can bring. Developing a skill set and building a network of the right individuals with the right skills can make a difference. In this book, we will give you some ideas that will help.

Throughout my time in working with organizations, I have had the opportunity to be involved in a number of organizational change efforts, many of which have had a major impact on the organizations and individuals in them. What I have seen is that those who plan and deal with change—rather than complain about it—end up moving on faster and being more successful in the long run. Others complain, are often miserable, and bring down the morale of those around them.

I have worked in consulting, corporate, and educational environments, and I spent time in the military. Regardless of the environment or organization, certain characteristics and skills stand out with individuals who are successful in making change happen. Those who take advantage of and make the most of the change around them do better, are more successful, and are happier about life in general. Our goal here is to help you learn about and develop some skills to allow you to make the most of and take advantage of the situations and change processes you become involved in.

What You’ll Find in This Book

This book is written for individuals facing change and wanting to make change happen. Each step has content and specific tips intended to help evaluate and take advantage of the change process. We go through a 10­step approach that has been developed over the years. Each step links to scanning, planning, and enacting, giving you tips and tools you can use to be more successful.

You will find this book to be a direct resource you can use, not a book to file away in a drawer or hide on a shelf. It is not an exhaustive study of change, although you will see examples; rather, it is meant to be a quick read with steps that can be implemented easily and contain the essential keys to team success. You can read it as 10 steps that build on each other, or you can go directly to the step that interests you and will help solve a particular problem. In the end, the goal is to provide you with some insights, tools, and techniques to put you ahead of the change curve.

In short, here are the 10 steps leading to successful change management:

Step 1: Understand Change . Change happens for a number of reasons, in a number of areas, and in a number of ways. From a corporate perspective, on average over any ten-year period of time, half the companies on the Fortune 500 list fall off. This is not all bad. The good news is that 250 new companies take their place. The companies that fell off the list either did not change or changed too slowly to keep up with others. The new companies found ways to change and be more effective. Whether you look at it by industry, by changes in the world economy, or by innovations in technology, change happens. From a personal perspective, we have all seen individuals rise to be recognized by the media as successes one year and quickly fall into obscurity the next. The key to success is being prepared for change and, in some cases, making change happen rather than having it happen to you.

Step 2: Assess the Impact of Change . Being able to see how change can impact an organization and its individuals makes a difference in whether an organization thrives, survives, or ceases to exist. The dynamics and interaction in a range of areas from competition to technology to changes in customer taste make it imperative that we accurately assess the impact of change on our organization. What to start doing, continue doing, and stop doing determines our value to those we serve. Understanding the environment in which an organization exists and what it takes to be successful is key to not only surviving but thriving through change.

Step 3: Assemble a Change Management Team . It takes having the right people with the right skills—and even more important, the right attitude—to make change happen. Once the goals of the change initiative have been identified, a team needs to be put together. Identifying the roles and tasks to execute on the change strategy is the starting point. Finding and recruiting the right people to be part of the team are important factors in the level of success that will be achieved. This step looks at the characteristics of building an effective change team.

Step 4: Build a Vision for Change . Someone has an idea of how things can be better, or someone realizes that if things stay the way they are, the organization will no longer be able to exist. They look to see what the future could bring. They understand the environment they work in, the competition they face, and the reality of what is and, more importantly, of what could be. They have ideas. They see how things can be different and better, and they come up with a vision others can understand and follow.

Step 5: Put a Strategy in Place . Putting a strategy in place begins by knowing why an organization exists and what its mission is. The individuals who are part of any organization need to know their roles and how they contribute to its overall success. As things change, a vision must be created to help the organization know the direction it should take. Strategy identifies the goals and ways to achieve them. Without having a strategy in place, an organization risks taking a “ready, fire, aim” mentality. Having shared values helps keep a team focused.

Step 6: Win Support . The reputation and credibility of those trying to make change happen are key to having others support their change efforts. Credibility is built over time. Individuals want to know that those they support will not hurt them and in fact will make things better for them. Understanding who your supporters are and what they can bring helps determine how much of the change strategy can be tell versussell. Enemies can hurt. Knowing why they oppose the change effort can help in convincing them to be part of supporting it. Knowing how to influence those who are undecided can make a difference in the level of success and how quickly it is achieved. A stakeholder analysis helps identify who will need to be influenced and gives the how and why.

Step 7: Communicate Effectively . Having an effective communication process moves a change initiative from idea to action. It allows the members of a team to work together to get things done. It allows the team to communicate with stakeholders to get the information they need and to share the status of change. That way everyone knows what works and what is not working. It helps get buy in along the way and identifies concerns stakeholders have. An effective communication strategy addresses who needs what, how, and when. It sets the tone for the work environment and affects the organization’s culture.

Step 8: Overcome Challenges . Any change initiative will find those who are reluctant or opposed to the change. Changes can impact an individual’s status, level of power, and ability to have an impact on the future. Knowing how to identify challenges that are both in the open and hidden is a skill that will directly affect how the change initiative progresses. Knowing when to confront directly and when to build alliances with other stakeholders will make a difference in the level of resistance you face.

Step 9: Measure Success . Change will happen. The level of success will depend on a number of factors and how well the change leaders pull resources together. An ongoing process should include a way to measure incremental changes and the level of success to the overall goals that were established in setting the strategy. Learning and being able to adjust along the way will make a difference in how successful the organization and the individuals in it are. The lessons learned will help in the ongoing process of measuring success and determining how and where resources should be allocated.

Step 10: Review Lessons Learned . Being able to learn from a current change initiative makes future change initiatives easier to undertake. Having a defined and disciplined approach for capturing what worked and what did not work, along with suggestions for how things could be better, creates a culture of constant improvement where change is not feared but looked to for the opportunities it can bring.

This book was written to be a practical resource. It is a tool you can use to understand, evaluate, and apply to make change happen. It is based on experiences and not just theory. The stories are true (but in many cases the names of individuals and organizations have been changed to fend off lawsuits before they start). Keep it handy, and put it to use.