With a three decade plus long
career, one of the things I have realised is that there is nothing like a
‘stable period’. There is always change – what may be different is the
magnitude or scale of change, the pace of change or our ability to adapt to the
change. But then, as has been said several times, change is the only constant !
It is natural for us to resist
change, or expect resistance to change from others. It pushes us into areas
unknown and potential consequences that cause anxiety. That is not good enough
reason for us not to contemplate change if that is what the organisation needs.
And even if we don’t want change, the external environment changes ever so fast
that we need to keep up to that change to be relevant.
Each time I have engaged in,
been part of or led change processes, I have realised that each one of it is
different and distinctive, and that there can never be a perfect plan. That is
the nature of that process called ‘change management’, even if we have experts
and several books written on that. What can be done is to foresee some ways in
which change can have an impact on people and organisations, and aim to
leverage some of the opportunities while mitigating the risks.
Here are some
lessons I have learnt :
1.
Acknowledge that change can be destabilising :
There could be strong internal or external imperatives to change. There may be
a great appetite for change and even a lot of excitement. But it is worth
recognising that not all colleagues would feel the same. There are often
concerns around change processes being destabilising – and to know that is even
more difficult if some of those experiencing such feelings are the quieter ones.
Hence, it is about acknowledging it and trying to find out as much as possible.
2.
Be clear on imperative/s for change : Given the
fast changing environment we are in, and the particular pressures that the
charity sector faces, it is not unusual for there to be more than one
imperative for change, which could be strategic, financial, regulatory,
technological or leadership related or induced change processes. The clearer
the leadership is about this imperative, the better it is to build a compelling
narrative around the imperative for the change, which is then of critical importance
in getting engagement from the board, staff, supporters, partners and other
stakeholders.
3.
Regular check-ins and communications : This
applies to all organisations irrespective of size, but it does become more
complex for larger ones. Creating spaces for staff and other stakeholders is
really important to demonstrate the leadership’s willingness to listen and
engage, to understand the concerns and where they are coming from. It is also
important to recognise that different people take in communications
differently. Some prefer face to face conversations, some through written
feedback, others through surveys or some even through their representatives.
The more diverse an organisation is, the more deeply one needs to think of the
best possible means to communicate.
4.
Closing the feedback loop : A key purpose of
engaging with staff and stakeholders is to get their inputs and insights. To
maintain the integrity of the process, it is really important for this loop to
be closed with some form of a feedback so that there is clarity on how the
inputs provided have been taken on board and factored into the final set of
decisions taken.
5.
Planning for delays : I wonder if any change
process has gone absolutely to plan without some time and even cost overruns. A
lesson learnt from that is to ensure that we do not cut corners with resources
allocated and that there is enough contingency factored in, as often, things
don’t quite go to plan, especially if the process is designed to be a
consultative and engaging one rather than being entirely driven top-down.
6.
Reflection and review : The sign of a change
process that maintains integrity is going back to those who were engaged with
some form of a structured or semi-structured review, to reflect on the process,
highlight what went well and what didn’t and elicit thoughts that would provide
invaluble learning for future processes.
So, a final thought – change
is inevitable, so let us just face it and be prepared to embrace it. That is
the only way we can ensure that change processes do not overwhelm us, but that
we are in control of factors that will ensure effective change processes.
(Originally published in The Third Sector, November 2018)
